What are they worth? An examination of Anglo-Saxon Mercian settlements incorporating the name-element Worth (original) (raw)

This paper will argue that, at least within the territory of the early medieval kingdom of Mercia, worth place names signify specific functions and exhibit particular common characteristics within their landscape. The key argument presented here is that these settlement sites may have been of military or civil defence importance, protecting the boundaries of an expanding Mercia and aiding in its early governance. Alternatively, they may be indicative of the consolidation of authority in later years under established and more powerful monarchies. Either way, these places exhibit sufficient common characteristics to justify detailed, specific scrutiny. My objective is to establish what the term worth actually meant, rather than simply defining and debating its translation; ultimately the aim is to understand these worth sites properly in their landscape context.