River Chew of its distance, forming part of the Monarch's Way. The name "Chew" has Celtic origins, cognate with the River Chwefru, "cliwyf-ffrenwy", "the moving, gushing water"; ancient forms are "Estoca" (Chew Stoke), "Chiu" (Chew Magna), and "Ciwetune" (Chewton Mendip). Its exact meaning admits of several possible explanations, including "winding water", the "ew" being a variant of the French "eau", "water". The word "chewer" is western dialect for "narrow passage" and "chare" is Old English for "turning." Another theory is that the name derives from the Welsh "cyw", "the young of an animal, or chicken", such that "Afon Cyw" would have meant
Samuel Chew (captain) Samuel Chew (captain) Samuel Chew (1750 – 4 March 1778) was an officer in the Continental Navy. Born in Virginia, Chew, a resident of Connecticut, was appointed by the Marine Committee 17 June 1777 to command the Continental brigantine "Resistance" with which he had much success against British commerce. The brigantine, carrying ten quarter-pounders, fell in with a British Letter-of-Marque (20 guns) on 4 March 1778. In the hand-to-hand struggle which ensued, Captain Chew, fighting gallantly, was killed but his ship managed to break off the battle with its superior opponent and return safely to Boston. USS "Chew" (DD-106) was