The Natural History of Wiltshire Part 7

[Of the numerous rivers in Wilts.h.i.+re only a few are navigable, and those only for a short distance in the county. This is the consequence of its inland position and comparative elevation; whence it results that the princ.i.p.al streams have little more than their sources within its limits. The project of rendering the Avon navigable from Salisbury to Christ Church appears to have been first promulgated by John Taylor, the Water Poet, who, in 1625, made an excursion in his own sherry, with five companions, from London to Christ Church, and thence up the Avon to Salisbury. He published an account of his voyage, under the t.i.tle of " A Discovery by sea, from London to Salisbury." Francis Mathew also suggested the improvement of the navigation of the river in 1655; and an Act of Parliament for that purpose was obtained in 1664. Bishop Ward was translated to the see of Salisbury in 1667, but the commencement of the works, as described by Aubrey, was probably delayed till 1669, in August of which year the Mayor of Salisbury and others were const.i.tuted a Committee "to consult and treat with such persons as will undertake to render the Avon navigable." Two other pamphlets urging the importance of the project were published in 1672 and 1675 (see Gough's Topography, vol. ii. p.

366); and in 1687 a series of regulations was compiled "for the good and orderly government and usage of the New Haven and Pier now made near Christchurch, and of the pa.s.sages made navigable from thence to the city of New Sarum." (See Hatcher's History of Salisbury, pp. 460, 497.) The works thus made were afterwards destroyed by a flood, and remained in ruins till 1771. Some repairs were then executed, but they were inefficient; and the navigation is now given up, except at the mouth of the river; and even there the bar of Christchurch is an insurmountable obstacle except at spring tides.-(Penny Cyclopaedia, art. Wilts.h.i.+re.) As the Bishop dug the first spitt, or spadeful of earth, and drove the first wheelbarrow, that necessary process was no doubt made a matter of much ceremony. The laying the "first stone" of an important building has always been an event duly celebrated; and the practice of some distinguished individual "digging the first spitt" of earth has lately been revived with much pomp and parade, in connection with the great railway undertakings of the present age.- J. B.]

The river Adder riseth about Motcomb, neer Shaftesbury. In the Legeir booke of Wilton Abbey it is wrott Nore, "a Nodderi fluvii ripa", (hodie Adder-bourn, Nare}, "serpens, anguis", Saxonice, Addar, in Welsh, signifies a bird.*) This river runnes through the magnificent garden of the Earle of Pembroke at Wilton, and so beyond to Christ Church. It hath in it a rare fish, called an umber, which are sent from Salisbury to London. They are about the bignesse of a trowt, but preferred before a trowt This kind of fish is in no other river in England, except the river Humber in Yorkes.h.i.+re. [The umber is perhaps more generally known as the grayling. See Chap. XL Fishes.-J. B.]

* [Adar is the plural of Aderyn, a bird, and therefore signifies birds.-J. B.]

The rivulet that gives the name to Chalke-bourn, and running through Chalke, rises at a place called Naule, belonging to the farme of Broad Chalke, where are a great many springs that issue out of the chalkie ground. It makes a kind of lake of the quant.i.ty of about three acres.

There are not better trouts (two foot long) in the kingdom of England than here; I was thinking to have made a trout pond of it. The water of this streame washes well, and is good for brewing. I did putt in craw-fish, but they would not live here: the water is too cold for them. This river water is so acrimonious, that strange horses when they are watered here will snuff and snort, and cannot well drinke of it till they have been for some time used to it. Methinks this water should bee admirably good for whitening clothes for cloathiers, because it is impregnated so much with nitre, which is abstersive.

Bourna, fluvius. (Vener. Bed. Hist. Eceles.) As in some counties they say, In such or such a vale or dale; so in South Wilts they say, such or such a bourn: meaning a valley by such a river.

The river Stour hath its source in Sturton Parke, and gives the name [Stourhead.-J. B.] to that ancient seat of the Lord Sturtons. Three of the springs are within the park pale and in Wilts.h.i.+re; the other three are without the pale in Somersets.h.i.+re. The fountaines within the parke pale are curbed with pierced cylinders of free stone, like tunnes of chimneys; the diameter of them is eighteen inches. The coate armour of the Lord Sturton is, Sable, a bend or, between six fountaines; which doe allude to these springs. Stour is a British word, and signifies a great water: sc. "dwr" is water; "ysdwr" is a considerable, or great water: "ys", is "particula augens". [The Stour rises near the junction of the three counties, Wilts.h.i.+re, Somersets.h.i.+re, and Dorsets.h.i.+re. Its course is chiefly through the last mentioned county, after leaving which it enters Hamps.h.i.+re, and flows into the South Avon near Christchurch.- J. B.]

Deverill hath its denomination from the diving of the rill, and its rising again. Mr. Cambden saieth, In this s.h.i.+re is a small rill called Deverill, which runneth a mile under ground,* like as also doth the little river Mole in Surry, and the river Anas [Guadiana ?-J. B.] in Spain, and the Niger in Africk. Polybius speakes the like of the river Oxus, "which, falling with its force into great ditches, which she makes hollow, and opens the bottome by the violence of her course, and by this meanes takes its course under ground for a small s.p.a.ce, and then riseth again." (lib. x.)

* I am informed by the minister of Deverill Longbridge, and another gentleman that lived at Maiden Bradley thirty years, that they never knew or heard of this river Deverall that runs underground.-(BISHOP TANNER.) [Yet Selden, in his "Notes to Drayton's Poly-Olbion", makes the same statement as Aubrey does respecting the Deverill.- J. B.]

"Sic ubi terreno Lycus est epotus hiatu, Exist.i.t procul hinc, alioq{ue} renascitur ore.

Sic mod combibitur, tecto mod gurgite lapsus Redditur Argolicis ingens Erasinus in arvis: Et Mysum capitisq{ue} sui ripaq{ue} prioris Pnituisse ferunt, ali nunc ire, Calc.u.m."

- OVID, METAMORPH. lib. xv.

In Grittleton field is a swallow-hole, where sometimes foxes, &c. doe take sanctuary; there are severall such in North Wilts.h.i.+re, made by flouds, &c.; but neer Deene is a rivulet that runnes into Emmes-poole, and n.o.body knowes what becomes of it after it is swallowed by the earth.

[The reader will find a full account of the remarkable "swallows", or "swallow holes", in the course of the river Mole, in Brayley's History of Surrey, vol. i. p. 171-185, with a map, and some geological comments by Dr. Mantell. The river, or stream designated by Aubrey as the Deverill, is probably the princ.i.p.al of several streams which rise near the villages of Longbridge Deverill, Hill Deverill, Brixton Deverill, Monkton Deverill, and Kingston Deverill (in the south west part of Wilts.h.i.+re), and, after running through Maiden Bradley, flow into the Wyley near Warminster.-J. B.]

At the foot of Martinsoll-hill doe issue forth three springs, which are the sources of three rivers; they divide like the parting of the haire on the crowne of the head, and take their courses three severall wayes: viz. one on the south side of the hill, which is the beginning of the upper Avon, which runnes to Salisbury; on the other side springes the river Kynet, which runnes eastward to Marleborough; from thence pa.s.sing by Hungerford, Newbury, &c. it looses itselfe and name in the river of Thames, near Reading. The third spring is the beginning of the stream that runnes to Caln, called Marden,-- and driving several mills, both for corne and fulling, is swallowed up by the North Avon at Peckingill-meadow near Tytherington. [See also Aubrey's description of these three springs, ante, page 24.- J. B.]

Avon, a river, in the British language.

Cynetium, Marleborough, hath its name from the river. The Welsh p.r.o.nounce y as wee doe u.

-- Quaere, if it is called Marden, or Marlen? [Marden is the present name.- J. B.]

The North Avon riseth toward Tedbury in Gloucesters.h.i.+re, and runnes to Malmesbury, where it takes in a good streame, that comes from Hankerton, and also a rivulet that comes from Sherston,* which inriching the meadows as it runnes to Chippenham, Lac.o.c.k, Bradford, Bath, Kainsham, and the city of Bristowe, disembogues into the Severne at Kingrode.

* [The Sheraton rivulet, and not that which rises near Tetbury, is generally regarded as the source of the North, or Bristol Avon.-J. B.]

The silver Thames takes some part of this county in its journey to Oxford. The source of it is in Gloucesters.h.i.+re, neer Cubberley (in the rode from Oxford to Gloucester), where there are severall springs. In our county it visits Cricklad, a market towne, and gives name to Isey, a village neer; and with its fertile overflowing makes a most glorious verdure in the spring season. In the old deeds of lands at and about Cricklad they find this river by the name of Thamissis fluvius and the Thames. The towne in Oxfords.h.i.+re is writt Tame and not Thame; and I believe that Mr. Cambden's marriage of Thame and Isis, in his elegant Latin poem, is but a poeticall fiction: I meane as to the name of Thamisis, which he would not have till it comes to meet the river Thame at Dorchester.

[The true source of the river Thames has been much disputed. A spring which rises near the village of Kemble, at the north-western extremity of Wilts.h.i.+re, has been commonly regarded, during the last century, as the real "Thames head". It flows thence to Ashton Keynes, and onward to Cricklade. At the latter place it is joined by the river Churn, which comes from Coberly, about 20 miles to the northward, in Gloucesters.h.i.+re. Aubrey refers to the latter stream as the source of the Thames; and, on the principle of tracing the origin of a river to its most remote source, the same view has been taken by some other writers, who consequently dispute the claims of the Kemble spring.

- J. B.]

The river Thames, as it runnes to Cricklad, pa.s.ses by Ashton Kaynes; from whence to Charleton, where the North Avon runnes, is about three miles. Mr. Henry Brigges (Savilian professor of Geometrie at Oxford) observing in the mappe the nearnesse of these two streames, and reflecting on the great use that might accrue if a cutt were made from the one to the other (of which there are many examples in the Low Countreys), tooke a journey from Oxford to view it, and found the ground levell and sappable and was very well pleased with his notion; for that if these two rivers were maried by a ca.n.a.l between them, then might goods be brought from London to Bristow by water, which would be an extraordinary convenience both for safety and to avoid overturning.

This was about the yeare 1626. But there had been a long calme of peace, and men minded nothing but pleasure and luxury.

"Jam patimur longae pacis mala, saevior armis Luxuria inc.u.mbit."- LUCAN.

+ [If Aubrey was right in the preceding paragraph in regarding the stream which rises at "Cubberley" in Gloucesters.h.i.+re as the source of the Thames, he is wrong in stating that "the Thames" pa.s.ses by Ashton Keynes. It is the other brook, from Kemble, which runs through that village; and the two streams only become united at Cricklade, which is some distance lower down, to the eastward of Ashton Keynes.- J. B.]

Knowledge of this kind was not at all in fas.h.i.+on, so that he had no encouragement to prosecute this n.o.ble designe: and no more done but the meer discovery: and not long after he died, scilicet Anno Domini 1631, January 31st.; and this ingeniose notion had died too and beene forgotten, but that Mr. Francis Mathew, (formerly of the county of Dorset, a captain in his majestie King Charles I. service), who was acquainted with him, and had the hint from him, and after the wars ceased revived this designe. Hee tooke much paines about it; went into the countrey and made a mappe of it, and wrote a treatise of it, and addressed himselfe to Oliver the Protector, and the Parliament. Oliver was exceedingly pleased with the designe; and, had he lived but a little longer, he would have had it perfected: but upon his death it sank.

After his Majesties restauration, I recommended Captain Mathew to the Lord Wm. Brouncker, then President of the Royall Societie, who introduced him to his Majestie; who did much approve of the designe; but money was wanting, and publick-spirited contributions; and the Captain had no purse (undonn by the warres), and the heads of the Parliament and Counsell were filled with other things.- Thus the poor old gentleman's project came to nothing.

He died about 1676, and left many good papers behind him concerning this matter, in the hands of his daughters; of which I acquainted Mr.

John Collins, R.S.S. in An. 1682, who tooke a journey to Oxford (which journey cost him his life, by a cold), and first discoursed with the barge-men there concerning their trade and way: then he went to Lechlade, and discoursed with the bargemen there; who all approved of the designe. Then he took a particular view of the ground to be cutt between Ashton-kaynes and Charleton. From Malmesbury he went to Bristoll. Then he returned to Malmesbury again and went to Wotton Ba.s.sett, and took a view of that way. Sir Jonas Moore told me he liked that way, but J. Collins was clearly for the cutt between Ashton-Kayns and Charleton.

At his return to London I went with him to the daughters of Mr.

Mathew, who shewed him their father's papers; sc. draughts, modells, copper-plate of the mappe of the Thames, Acts of Parliament, and Bills prepared to be enacted, &c.; as many as did fill a big portmantue. He proposed the buying of them to the R. Societie, and tooke the heads of them, and gave them an abstract of them. The papers, &c. were afterwards brought to. the R. Societie; the price demanded for all was but five pounds (the plate of the mappe did cost 8li.) The R. Societie liked the designe; but they would neither undertake the businesse nor buy the papers. So that n.o.ble knight, Sir James Shaen, R.S.S., who was then present, slipt five guineas into J.

Collins's hand to give to the poor gentlewomen, and so immediately became master of these rarities. There were at the Societie at the same time three aldermen of the city of London (Sir Jo. Laurence, Sir Patient Ward, and .... ....), fellows of the Society, who when they heard that Sir James Shaen had gott the possession of them were extremely vex't; and repented (when 'twas too late) that they had overslipped such an opportunity: then they would have given 30li. This undertaking had been indeed most proper for the hon{oura}ble city of London.

Jo. Collins writt a good discourse of this journey, and of the feazability, and a computation of the chardge. Quaere, whether he left a copie with the R. Society. Mr. Win, mathematicall instrument maker in Chancery-lane, had all his papers, and amongst many others is to be found this.

I have been the more full in this account, because if ever it shall happen that any publick-spirited men shall arise to carry on such a usefull work, they may know in whose hands the papers that were so well considered heretofore are now lodged.

Sir Jonas Moore, Surveyor of the Ordinance, told me that when the Duke of York sent him to survey the manor of Dauntesey, formerly belonging to Sir Jo. Danvers, he did then take a survey of this designe, and said that it is feazable; but his opinion was that the best way would be to make a cutt by Wotton Ba.s.sett, and that the King himselfe should undertake it, for they must cutt through a hill by Wotton-Ba.s.set; and that in time it might quit cost. As I remember, he told me that forty thousand pounds would doe it.

But I thinke, Jo. Collins sayes in his papers, that the cutt from Ashton-Kains to Charleton may bee made for three thousand pounds.

[Some of the above facts are more briefly stated by Aubrey in his "Description of North Wilts.h.i.+re" (printed by Sir Thomas Phillipps, Bart.) They are however sufficiently interesting to be inserted here; and they clearly shew that, notwithstanding Aubrey's credulity and love of theory, he was fully sensible of the beneficial results to be expected from increased facilities of conveyance and locomotion. On this point indeed he and his friends, Mr. Mathew and Mr. Collins, were more than a century in advance of their contemporaries, for it was not till after the year 1783 that Wilts.h.i.+re began to profit by the formation of ca.n.a.ls.

Sanctioned by the approval of King Charles the Second, for which, as above stated, he was indebted to Aubrey, Francis Mathew published an explanation of his project for the junction of the Thames with the Bristol Avon. This work, which advocated similar ca.n.a.ls in other parts of the country, bears the following t.i.tle: "A Mediterranean Pa.s.sage by water from London to Bristol, and from Lynn to Yarmouth, and so consequently to the city of York, for the great advancement of trade."

(Lond. 1670, 4to.) An extract from this scarce volume is transcribed by Aubrey into the Royal Society's MS. of his own work; and a copy of Mr. Mathew's map, which ill.u.s.trated it, is also there inserted.

The liberality of Sir James Shaen in the purchase of Mathew's papers, and the apathy of the London aldermen, until too late to secure them, are amusingly described. Similar instances of civic meanness are not wanting in the present day; indeed the indifference of corporate authorities to scientific topics is strikingly ill.u.s.trated by the fact that the Royal Society has not at present enrolled upon its list of Fellows a single member of the corporation of London; whereas in Aubrey's time there were no less than three.

The short ca.n.a.l projected in the seventeenth century to connect the Thames and Avon has never been executed: subsequent speculators having found that the wants and necessities of the country could be better supplied by other and longer lines of water communication. Hence we have the Thames and Severn Ca.n.a.l, from Lechlade to Stroud, commenced in 1783; the Kennet and Avon Ca.n.a.l, from Newbury to Bath, begun in 1796; and the Wilts and Berks Ca.n.a.l (1801), from Abingdon to a point on the last mentioned ca.n.a.l between Devizes and Bradford.- J. B.]

Mdm.-The best and cheapest way of making a ca.n.a.l is by ploughing; which method ought to be applied for the cheaper making the cutt between the two rivers of Thames and Avon. The same way serves for making descents in a garden on the side of a hill.- See ......

Castello della Currenti del Acquo, 4to; which may be of use for this undertaking.

Consider the scheme in Captain Yarrington's book, ent.i.tled "England's Improvement", as to the establis.h.i.+ng of granaries at severall townes on the Thames and Avon; e. g. at Lechlade, Cricklade, &c. See also Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. vi. c. 11.

At Funthill Episcopi, higher towards Hindon, water riseth and makes a streame before a dearth of corne, that is to say, without raine; and is commonly look't upon by the neighbourhood as a certain presage of a dearth; as, for example, the dearness of corne in 1678.

So at Morecomb-bottome, in the parish of Broad Chalke, on the north side of the river, it has been observed time out of mind, that, when the water breaketh out there, that it foreshewes a deare yeare of corne; and I remember it did so in the yeare 1648. Plinie saieth (lib.

ii. Nat. Hist.) that the breaking forth of some rivers "annonae mutationem significant".

[At Weston-Birt, in Gloucesters.h.i.+re, near the borders of Wilts.h.i.+re, water gushes from the ground in spring and autumn, and at other times, in many hundred places at once, and continues to flow with great rapidity for several days, when the whole valley, in which the houses are placed, is completely filled. The street of the village is provided with numerous rude bridges, which on these occasions become available for purposes of communication.-J. B.]

'Tis a saying in the West, that a dry yeare does never cause a dearth.

Anno 1669, at Yatton Keynel, and at Broomfield in that parish, they went a great way to water their cattle; and about 1640 the springs in these parts did not breake till neer Christmas.