Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1820 edition. Excerpt: ... THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES OF Situation--Origin and Etymology--Chronological series of the Abbots. EVESHAM lies in the hundred of Blakenhurst, in the county of Worcester; it is 96 miles distant from London, 1.6 from Worcester, 16 from Cheltenham, 26 from Warwick, and 28 from Leamington: it is in the direct road from London to Worcester; and the nearest road from Cheltenham to Warwick and Leamington runs through it. The name has at various periods been Homme or Hauni, Hethchomme, Cronuchomme, and Aethamme. They are all corrupted from, or compounds of the word Holm, f which in the Saxon language signifies a river island, and sometimes a hill or rising ground: in both these senses is the word Tindal's History of Evesham, p 1. f In Dugdale's Warwickshire it is said that Ham signified habitation Mam or Holm likewise signifies meadow. B applicable to Evesham, as it is almost insulated by the river Avon, and is situated on a steep bank, rising in most places abruptly from the river. After the foundation of the abbey, it acquired the appellation of Eovesholme, which signifies the island of Eoves, a herdsman to whom (as we are informed by ancient legends) the Virgin Mary appeared on the identical spot, where, by her especial command, the abbey was afterwards erected: in process of time, this name assumed its present one of Evesham, which is now often abbreviated and pronounced Esam. Egwin (called St. Egwin by the courtesy of the monks) the third bishop of Worcester, was the founder of this abbey: he began to build A. D. 702, but the consecration of the church did not take place, till A. D. 714. He accounts for his choice of this spot in the following charter: f "I Egwin, the humble bishop of the Wiccians, will manifest to all the faithful of...
