10 JUNE 1905, Page 24

[Under this heading we notice such Woks of the week

as hove not been reserved for review in other forms.] Worcestershire Place Names. By W. H. Duignan. (H. Frowde. 6s. net.)—Mr. Duignan, already favourably known to readers interested in archaeology by his book, "Staffordshire Place Names," has in this volume taken in another field of observation. "I was attracted to Worcestershire," he writes in his preface, "by the very large number of Anglo-Saxon charters preserved in the archives of the Bishops of Worcester and the great monasteries of the county." It is difficult to give any idea of the contents of such a volume. Possibly one or two instances may help. Most people have heard of Pershore and its plums. It is interesting, therefore, to find that the name means " peach- border " (persoe, A.S. for "peach," and ora, "border"). Shelsley Beauchamp and Shelsley Walsh, two beautiful spots on the Tome, recall the names of former owners, Shelsley being made up of lea, "open meadow or wood," and scyld, "shield." Clifton-on- Tema, on a hill in the same neighbourhood, is the "Cliff-town." Bromegrove and Birmingham are connected with the family of Brem (the word ---= "illustrious"). Hindlip is the "hind's leap" (hind, hlyp). Malvern and Kidderminster Mr. Duignan is com- pelled to leave unexplained (excepting, of course, the second part of the latter).