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Avebury Village

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jacksprat J
jacksprat Dec 23, 2005 15:00:39
Replying to Kammer

A shot in the dark: I hail from near Banbury, who's name is derived from the iron age 'Banner's Fort', after the chieften / mayor, whatever who established it. Could it be that there was a leader Aver?

P PeterH
PeterH Dec 23, 2005 16:03:38
Replying to jacksprat

Yep, his name was Afa!

According to Ekwall
"Avreberie in Domesday Book 1086, Avesbiria in 1114, Aveberia in 1189, Aueberia in 1195. From the Saxon - Afa's burg

Burg was Saxon for a fort so they didn't see it as pig pen or stock corral (or a sacred enclosure!). The high banks and ditches must have seemed like a fort with a settlement inside. Probably Afa and his follower's took over the existing settlement and simply re-named it.

The present church has much later Saxon features.