"I was led to believe" (which means i may be wrong) that the Romans introduced it long before we started mining it (interesting that we dig for it when there's loads in the sea....) In Roman times salt was considered a valuable commodity, in fact soldiers were paid in salt, which is where the term "Salary" comes from (Latin for salt)
FAO xyzzyplugh (I know this is nothing to do with the question - sorry!) -wich comes from -wick meaning village or settlement. ie Norwich is the North wick. Not salt-related...
The largest salt fields in the kingdom. Nantwich, Northwich and Middlewich made up the Salt Wiches.
http://www.saltbook.com/full_reviews_salt.php
L atin,
wich.
In origin, -wic was a place-name element derived from the Latin vicus, place. Its most common meaning is dairy-farm. However, as Domesday clearly shows, the element by itself had evolved the specialised meaning of salt-working by the eleventh century.
http://www.domesdaybook.net/hs855.htm
The
Anglo Saxons, it turns out, called a saltworks a "wich."
http://www.pillagoda.freewire.co.uk/WYCH.htm
FAO mikewith. I''m sorry to disagree but the 'wich' in Nantwich, Middlewich and Northwich definitely has salt connections. As for Norwich then I am sure you are correct.