Medieval Etymology

Readers are invited to respond to a query received from an interested reader, a medieval historian in the EPHE Paris Sorbonne. He asks:

"Could you give me any information about the words used in medieval times to name the ridge way or equivalent trails used already in pre roman or roman times?  The french word used was manereche ou voie manereche. 

Have you any idea of the words used in anglo normand? I am mostly interested about the words used in medieval brito-latin or in celtic, cornish, welsh or irish. The French medieval latin words were strata which gives estrees, or ferrata , but that is latin. The concept of ridgeway/hrycgweg finds its equivalent in manereche in romano celtic. We have in the south of France another word very near used south of Agen the Tenareze. The end of the two words is reche or reze which corresponds to the french modern word rez (see rez de chaussee)."

Our own expert, Peter Gould, responded as follows:

"..The best I can  offer is the  information that  "Ridgeway"  is  of Old English  extraction "hrycgweg"  and was used  of many  high level routes.  (There is a casual reference to a ridgeway in Dorset in Thomas Hardy)

We don't actually know exactly when the  concept of The Ridgeway  as an archaeological feature first emerged  or the  so-called  Oldest Road in Europe  from  the east to  south coasts  developed - a standing challenge to members of the Friends of the Ridgeway is to  find the earliest citation.  I am fairly confident that the 17thC antiquarians didn't recognise it

Oliver Rackham  The History of the Countryside  p259   has a section on highways in Anglo-Saxon  charters  that you  may find  useful  distinguishing  ridgeways, portways, streets  &c   and noting some regional usage

I should just  mention "herepath"  a term applied to  a section of The Ridgeway  and to other roads. A road that an army could  use,  not necessarily a Roman road designed for military use."

I suspect  the  anglo-normand  (Norman-French)  terms were the same  as  on the other side of the Channel under  Norman  rule.    Most likely in a  legal  context?  This is  based on the view  that modern nationalisms  are irrelevant and that  England was part of a European dynastic  empire  where the  governing class  conversed in  Norman   French.  

It is  received  opinion that  "Street"  referred to Roman engineering  rather  than prehistoric  tracks.  The Ridgeway  itself  is more a "Transport Corridor"   than a road  and the distinction from the  low level Icknield Way  is  artificial."

Can our members add more to the above information? Send any replies to ridgewayfriends@googlemail.com and we will post your information here.....