The main tributaries of the Devonshire River Lyd are the rivers Lew, Thrushel and Wolf. The Lew is the same as W Lliu (ERN 253), W lliu, OCo, C liu 'color' - adjectivally 'bright, brilliant'. Ptolemy's Οὐολίβα (Voliba), a polis of the Dumnonii, is for *Οὐολίοὐα (*Voliva). The medieval Greek digraph ȣ, representing ου, has been mis-read as β. *Voliva, parsed as vo-liva, is the diminutive prefix followed by the river-name, thus 'little Lew'. Thrushel is not Brittonic. The Thrushel joins the Lyd at Lifton (æt) Liwtune [873x88] 11th. Lyd is considered to be OE hlȳde, a derivative of hlūd 'loud'. The Cornwall stream-name Liwet is found in Relowas, Erliwet 977, 1059.
At the source of this Wolf is a Roman military installation, Broadbury Castle SX483957. (Of note is another Lew below Broadbury flowing past Northlew to the Torridge.)
Another River Wolf, a tributary of the Otter, flanks Hembury Hillfort ST112031 on the east. To the west of Hembury is the River Tale (another Otter tributary), not regarded as a Br. name, on which is Luton, Leueton 1238.
Again, a Roman military installation is to be found at a river named Wolf, here within the aforementioned hillfort.
Given the proximity to Tamara (vic. Launceston), and *Voliva's position west of Isca (Exeter), I would identify it with Broadbury Castle.
Tom Ikins
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