THE placename puzzler, concerning Haydock, has trawled in a scholarly answer from Bill Blinkhorn, secretary of Whiston Historical Society.

And it scuttles earlier suggestions (February 10) that Haydock was a corruption of 'hedge of oak'.

Instead, Bill, from Lickers Lane, has delved into some of his placename books and reached the conclusion that the name is of Celtic origin and, in the language of the time, meant 'barley place' or 'the place where barley is grown.'

In the 12th-century Haydock was on record as Heidoc (heidd being barley).

Says Bill: "We are near enough to Wales for us to have had some connections with the Celts, before they retreated to the mountains, having been driven out by a succession of foreign invaders."

I'm sure that interesting info will be welcomed by Haydock folk, who for decades have been known as Yickers . . . but that's another story.

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