Wich town

"Wich" and "wych" are names used to denote brine springs or wells. By the 11th century use of the 'wich' suffix in placenames associated towns with salt production; at least nine English towns/cities carry the suffix, although only five are commonly connected to salt, Droitwich in Worcestershire and the four Cheshire 'wiches' of Middlewich, Nantwich, Northwich and Leftwich.

There is an alternative suggestion for the derivation of the name, which is from the Anglo-Saxon "wic" which signifies a dwelling place [cite web|title=Notes on Papplewick|work=Nottinghamshire History|url=http://www.nottshistory.org.uk/articles/potterbriscoe1884/papplewick1.htm|accessdate=2007-01-23] or fortified place. [cite book|author=Charles Frederick Lawrence|title=The story of bygone Middlewich: In the County Palatine of Chester and Vale Royal of England|year=1936] The "wic" form appears to give two endings, "wich" and "wick" [cite web|title=The origin of words and names|url=http://www.krysstal.com/wordname.html|work=KryssTal|accessdate=2007-01-24] (for example Papplewick in Nottinghamshire).

Derivation of the name

References