The drive from Much Wenlock to Ashby-de-la-Zouch reveals a hidden history etched into Britain's place names. Celtic tribes, arriving during the Iron Age around 800 BC, left their mark on hills and rivers, with names like the Wrekin and the River Severn. The River Tame, crossed on this journey, derives from the Celtic for 'dark one' or 'river', as does the Thames.
Anglo-Saxon invasions from the 6th century AD pushed Britons to the margins, but their language blended with Celtic. Much Wenlock combines Anglo-Saxon 'mycel' (great) with Celtic 'wininicas' (white area) and Anglo-Saxon 'loca' (place). Roman influence, though less pervasive, appears in Latinised names like Londinium and the suffix 'chester' from 'castra' (fort).
Anglo-Saxons, unlike Romans, settled permanently, leaving suffixes like '-ham' (home) in the south and '-ton' (town) in the north. They also named places after themselves, creating a linguistic tapestry that spans centuries. From Celtic origins to Norman additions, each name tells a story of invasion, settlement, and cultural fusion.
