ASHE and Deane are straightforward place names. Both are simple Anglo-Saxon (early English) names for features, Ashe an ash tree, and Deane a valley or hollow. Local people, who probably didn’t travel far after settling, would know where such places were, so the names stuck, or so Anthony Poulton-Smith told us. He should know as he’s had dozens of county place-name books published.

Waltham’s not so easy. Clearly the ‘North’ label distinguishes our village from the other Winchester domain; the bishop wouldn’t want visitors to his palace ending up in our neck of the woods. If we thought Waltham was the clearing (hamm) in the wood (wald), I’m sorry to say that it’s more likely to be the decaying (wealt) house (ham).

Anthony said there was a problem with Steventon having hardly changed its name since Domesday. Place-name researchers apparently like to see names evolve over the centuries. He didn’t think it was the settlement (ton) of Stiffa (Steven), still less of Steven’s place, but talked about the 1086 problem of the Normans, who spoke French and looked down on the natives, trying to record English names.

So, if there’s no written record preceding Domesday Book, then it’s all a matter of logical deduction from ethno-linguistic understanding.

The next meeting is on Thursday, November 18, in North Waltham School at 8pm, when local artist Dr Wayne Jefferson will give a presentation on the Pre-Raphaelites.