which commencing from Dover, traces its course to London, St. Alban's,
Weedon, over _Bensford Bridge_,[1] High Cross, Atherstone, Wall,
Wroxeter, and Chester, from which last place a branch appears to point
in nearly a straight direction through St. Asaph to Segontium, or Caer
Seiont, Carnarvonshire. Another branch directs its course from
Wroxeter to Manchester, York, Lancaster, Kendal, and Cockermouth.

Hoveden thinks it was called the Watling Street from Wathe, or Wathla,
a British king. Spelman fancies it was called Werlam Street, from its
passing through Verulam. Somner derives the name from the Belgic
Wentelen, _volvere, versare se, a sinuosis flexibus_. Baxter contends
that it was made by the original Britons, Weteling, or Oedeling
signifying in their language, _originarius civis vel ingenuus_.
Stukeley's opinion, in which he is joined by Whitaker, the Manchester
historian, is, that it was the Guetheling road--Sarn Guethelin, or the
road of the Irish, the G being pronounced as a W. Dr. Wilkes says,
that it is more indented and crooked than other Roman Roads usually
are, and supposes that it was formed of _Wattles_, which was the idea
also of Pointer. Mr. Duff is not pleased with the opinion of Camden,
that it derives its name from an unknown _Vitellianus_, but
conjectures that its etymology is from the Saxon _Wadla_, a poor man,
a beggar, because such people resorted to this road for the charity of
travellers.

Among so many crude and discordant opinions, I shall endeavour to
substitute another more consistent with the true etymology of the
word. I agree with the historian of Manchester, that the Roman
stations were prior to the roads, and that the latter were only the
channels of communication to the former. The stations commenced during
the conquest of the country, and all of them were completed at the