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Salford is at the very southern end of our area, viz. the Lower Arrow
Valley. We rarely feature it but it is too historically important to neglect it
completely.
The name 'Salford' comes from 'Saltford'. 'The Oxford Dictionary of Place Names' (Ekwall) says that the name could refer to the place where salt was carried over the river (presumably a salt-way from Droitwich). When we read Dugdale (17th century) a different idea emerges: he said that salt was mined at this place, for it contained brine springs. It has to be said that Domesday Book is silent on the subject and Ekwall pays no attention to Dugdale.
Whether the presumed brine springs have left any remains, we have no idea; if any reader can throw any light on this, please let us know.
A well-known family a century ago at Salford Priors was that of SLATTER. The letter heading below comes from a business letter sent to Mr. J. H. Slatter in October, 1900: its interest lies in the varied number of private vehicles on the go at the start of this century in London.
