Chauncy’s 
Hertfordshire, 
1826. 
Brayley’s 
Surrey, 1841. 
Brayley’s 
Surrey, 1848. 
Royal Agri- 
cultural 
Society’s 
Journal. 
12 
the Bourne, and after a very short course falls into and 
swells the little stream* which has already been noticed. 
It generally succeeds wet unfavourable seasons, and 
lasts for some months. It is doubtless occasioned by 
the grand reservoir in some neighbouring hills being 
overcharged, the pressure from whence occasions an 
overflow in this branch of the syphon, and the efflux 
continues through the first convenient aperture until 
the proper level be restored.” 
In Sir Henry Chauncy’s ‘ Historical Antiquities of 
Hertfordshire,” published in 1826, reference is made to 
the Hertfordshire Bourne, in which he says: 
‘‘ There is a small brook called Wenmer or Womer 
which sometimes breaks forth, and ’tis observed fore-run- 
netha dearth, or some extremity of dangerous import.” 
In Brayley’s ‘‘ History of the County of Surrey,” 
published in 1841, there is the following reference made 
to Bourne flows: 
‘‘ In Surrey, outbursts of water from the chalk occur 
at the Bourne Mill near Farnham ; near the church at 
Merstham; and at the spring near the church at 
Croydon. Occasional outbursts take place at the Bourne 
near Birchwood House; where during the spring of 1837 
the water flowed in great abundance to Croydon, and 
continued six weeks. In the same year a rivulet burst 
forth in Gatton Park, between Merstham and Reigate.’ 
In Brayley’s ‘‘ History of Surrey,” edited and revised 
by Edward Walford, M.A., in 1848, reference is made 
to a Bourne near Lewes, Bourne Mill, Farnham, at the 
churches of Merstham and Croydon, and occasional 
burstings near Birchwood and Gatton Park. 
In the Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society, 
vol. xv., there isa Paper by Mr. Clare Sewell Read 
* A branch of the Mole. 
