-wich town Hamwic in Southampton and Gipeswic (Gippeswic) in Ipswich are further inland. As also means "bay" in Old English, "wich" and "wych" are also used in names to denote brine springs or wells. By the eleventh century, the use of "-wich" in placenames had been extended to include areas associated with salt production. At least nine English towns and cities carry the suffix although only five of them tend to be associated with salt: Droitwich in Worcestershire and the four -"wich" towns of Middlewich, Nantwich, Northwich and Leftwich in Cheshire. -wich town A "-"wich" town" is a settlement in Anglo-Saxon England
Blue John (mineral) Blue John (mineral) Blue John (also known as Derbyshire Spar) is a semi-precious mineral, a form of fluorite with bands of a purple-blue or yellowish colour. In the UK it is found only at Blue John Cavern and Treak Cliff Cavern at Castleton in Derbyshire. During the 19th century, it was mined for its ornamental value, and mining continues on a small scale. Deposits of fluorite have been recently found in China with colouring and banding similar to the classic Blue John stone. The most common explanation for the name is that it derives from the French "bleu-jaune", meaning 'blue-yellow'.