Stop 2. The riverbank

It could mean ‘Salt Ford’. In those days there were no weirs on the River Avon and water here would have been salty. The Domesday entry for this area was ‘Sanford’ from ‘Sand-ford’ because the banks are sandy. Equally interesting are early references to ‘Saehl ford’, meaning ford of the willows. Indeed, you will see many picturesque willows along the bank here.</p><p class='MsoNormal'>Each of these three possible name origins includes ‘ford’, which means a shallow place in a stream or river that can be crossed on foot. When you’re looking across the river towards the Cotswolds, this spot with the Brass Mill to the right and the Bird in Hand to the left, is that fordable section of river and is now known as The Shallows.