Test, River
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Hythe and Dibden
Hampshire
SU4209
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Totton and Eling
Netley Marsh
Romsey Extra
Romsey
Michelmersh
Awbridge
Mottisfont
Bossington
Houghton
Kings Somborne
Stockbridge
Longstock
Leckford
Wherwell
Chilbolton
Barton Stacey
Longparish
Hurstbourne Priors
Whitchurch
Laverstoke
Overton
Hampshire
otherwise: terstan, 877-12; terstan, 901-11; taerstan stream, 1045; Terste, 1234; Test, 1425
TEST, river
A problematic name. The string of Old English spellings (only a sample is given) leaves no doubt what the name was in Anglo Saxon times, and there begins the problem. No English etymology can be offered. Equally, no Primitive Welsh name should contain '-st-' since this combination was simplified to '-s-' during the British period or earlier. The Primitive Welsh form must have had a vowel between the '-s-' and '-t-'. But if so it would probably have been stressed and therefore not lost. Leaving aside this point, a form pronounced in Primitive Welsh 'Triston' (if one could have existed) could have given Old English 'Terste' by the processes described in detail by Jackson (1953: 524-5). Such a name resmbles superficially the common hypothetical British 'Trisantona' seen in eg 'Trent, Tarrant'. But its relation to this name is problematic.
The place is described in text Cobbett 1830
... that stream, which turns the mill of 'SQUIRE PORTAL, and which mill makes the Bank of England Note-Paper! ... the river of Whitchurch, which a man of threescore may jump across dry-shod, which moistens a quarter of a mile wide of poor, rushy meadow, which washes the skirts of the park and game-preserve of that bright patrician, who wedded the daughter of HANSON, the attorney and late solicitor to the Stamp-Office, and which is, to look at, of far less importance than any gutter in the WEN! Yet, this river, merely by turning a wheel [in the banknote paper mill], ... has produced a greate[r] effect on the condition of men, than has been produced on that condition by all the other rivers, all the seas, all the mines and all the continents in the world.
...
... the little sedgy river of Whitchurch! It has, in the short space of a hundred and thirty-one years, and, indeed, in the space of the last FORTY, caused greater changes as to property than had been caused by all other things put together in the long course of seven centuries, though, during that course there had been a sweeping, confiscating Protestant reformation.
...
... Oh! mighty rivulet of Whitchurch! All our properties, all our laws, all our manners, all our minds, you have changed! ...
... the Whitchurch rivulet goes on, shifting property from hand to hand. ... paper-money people ... paper-system ...
...
... until this visit to Uphusband (or Hurstbourne Tarrant, as the map calls it), little did I imagine, that this rivulet [Bourne Rivulet], dry half the year, was the head of the RIVER TESTE, which, after passing through Stockbridge and Rumsey, falls into the sea near Southampton.
...
... From Stockbridge to Rumsey we came nearly by the river side, and had to cross the river several times. This, the RIVER TESTE, which, as I described, in my Ride of last November, begins at UPHUSBAND, by springs, bubbling up in March, out of the bed of that deep valley. It is at first a BOURNE, that is to say, a stream that runs only part of the year, and is, the rest of the year, as dry as a road. About 5 miles from this periodical source, it becomes a stream all the year round. After winding about between the chalk hills, for many miles, first in a general direction towards the south-east, and then in a similar direction towards the south-west and south, it is joined by the little stream that rises just above and that passes through, the town of Andover. It is, after this, joined by several other little streams, with names; and here, at Rumsey, it is a large and very fine river, famous, all the way down, for trout and eels, and both of the finest quality.
The place is described in text Walton 1820s
- Hampshire
(35 miles long), is the longest river of Hampshire. It flows generally towards the south, passing Stockbridge and Romsey, and unites with the Itchen at Southampton. Above that town its estuary is about 4 miles in length.
Shown on an old map by Perrot 1823
- Hamp
otherwise: Tese
Period - 19th century, early
or Tese, a river in Hampshire, which rises near Whitchurch, flows by Stockbridge and Rumsey, and enters the head of the bay of Southampton, at Redbridge.
Redbridge ... at the mouth of the Test
Romsey ... is seated on ... the river Test.
Southampton ... stands between the Itchen and Test
Stockbridge ... seated near the Test
Whitchurch ... is seated on the Test, near its source
Shown on an old map by Harrison 1788
- river - Kings Somborn Hundred - Hampshire
Period - 1780s
Shown on an old map by Badeslade 1742
- river - Hampshire
Period - 1740s
... the Test, & Itchin, meet at Southampton ... fall into the Sea
otherwise: Traith Anton; Bay of Anton; Tese River; Test, River; Anton, River
The place is described in text Cox 1738
- Hampshire
... the Mouth of the River Trisanton, as Ptolemy calls it, which Mr. Camden supposes should be read, Traith Anton, i. e. The Bay of Anton, because Ninnius, and ancient Author, calls by the same Name almost; the Mouth of the Trahannon, the River Tese or Test, being anciently called Ant or Anton, as these Towns, Antport, Andover and Hanton, which border upon this River, would perswade us.
Period - 18th century, early
... on the other [west] side of Southampton comes down another large river, entring Southampton Water by Red-Bridge;
... two very fine rivers [Itchen and Test], both navigable, up some length into the country, and particularly useful for bringing down timber out of one of the best wooded counties in Britain; for the river on the west side of the town in particular comes by the edge of the great forest, call'd New-Forest; here we saw a prodigious quantity of timber, of an uncommon size, vastly large, lying on the shoar of the river, for above two miles in length, which they told us was brought thither from the forest, and left there to be fetch'd by the builders at Portsmouth-Dock, as they had occasion for it.
Shown on an old map by Morden 1695
- river - Redbridg Hundred - Hampshire
Period - 1690s-1720s
Morden labels the river mouth with this name, not the town
Shown on an old map by Ogilby 1675
- river - Hampshire
Shown on an old map by Ogilby 1675
- river - Hampshire
shows three streams
Shown on an old map by Ogilby 1675
- river - Hampshire
- river - Hampshire
and perhaps a mill lade
- Hamshire
Period - 1630s-40s
Shown on an old map by Drayton 1612
- river - Hantshire
The place is described in text Camden 1610
- Hantshire
Period - 1600s
For, heere the shores retiring as it were themselves a great way backe into the land, and the Ilse of Wight also; butting full upon it doe make a very good harbour, which Ptolomee calleth The mouth of the river Trisanton, (as I take it) for Traith Anton: that is, Anton Bay. For, Ninnius and old writer giveth it almost the same name when he termeth it Trahannon mouth. As for the river running into it, at this day is called Test, it was in the foregoing age (as wee read in the Saints lives) named Terstan, and in old time Ant, or Anton: as the townes standing upon it, namely Antport, Andover and Hanton in some sort doe testifie.
Of those two rivers, betweene which this South-anton standeth, that in the West now called Test, and in times past Anton, (as I suppose) springeth out of the forrest of Chat goeth first to Andover, which in the Saxon language is [Andeasaran], that is, The Passage or Ferry over And:
... it runneth downe and receaveth from the East a brooke passing by Bullingdon
After this, Test having taken into it a little river from Wallop ... seeketh for BRIGE or BRAGE an ancient towne ...
Then goeth this river to see Rumsey
Thence glideeth this water streight into Anton Haven, at Arundinis Vadum, as Bede called it and interpreteth it himselfe Reedeford: but now of the bridge where the foord was named, for Redeford, Redbridge
- river - Hamshire
Period - 1590s-1600s
Shown on an old map by Keer 1620
- Southampton
WAG1GAZ
Shown on an old map by Saxton 1575
- river - Southamtoniae
Period - 16th century
The place is described in text Leland 1535-43
Andever water passith thorough this bridg [Stoke bridge], but it metith afore with Horwel streme.
...
Ther is no notable bridge on this water betwixt Andever and Stoke Bridge.
Minns says:- It seems that [Leland] regarded the Wallop stream, locally known as the 'nine mile water,' as the Test, and not as one of its tributaries.
Trying to understand the stream names it seems that Leland calls the Test above Testcombe the Wherwell stream; the Anton and the Test down to Bossington the Andever Water; and the Wallop Brook and the rest of the Test become the Test.
...
And to this salt arme as the highest and principale hed of the haven [Southampton haven] resortith both Teste Ryver and Stoke Bridge water yn one botom.
Period - 14th century (about 1360)
fl
Identified from Romsey and Southampton; the tributary from the north might be the River Anton, or Bourne Rivulet, or even the Wallop Brook.
otherwise: Terste, river
rises near Overton, flows 30m to Southampton Water; note places Testcombe Bridge, Testwood
otherwise: Trisanton fluvius
see:- Ptolemy's Geography
mouth of the Trisantonis river - 20 20 - 53 -
Shown on a 15th century 'Ptolemy' map.
