118 The Flora of Wiltshire. 
Hills, and first touches the county at Cricklade Bridge; it flows by 
Castle Eaton a distance of four miles to the border of the county, 
separating Wiltshire from Gloucestershire, and quits Wiltshire 
altogether a little above Lechlade. It receives in its course the 
Key, which rises in the northern escarpment of the northern chalk 
district; it runs northward passing to the west of Swindon, and 
close to the little village of Water Eaton near Cricklade, and has 
a course of about ten miles, receiving several brooks by the way. 
2nd. The Cole, which has three principal sources, one between 
Swindon and Chisledon in the Green sand, a second near Chisledon 
also in the Green sand, and one in the chalk escarpment near Bis- 
hopstone, close to the Berkshire border; it flows northward on the 
border of the county which it separates from Berkshire, and flows 
into the Thames a little beyond the border of the county. The 
most important feeder of the Thames in this county is the Kennet, 
which rises in the Green sand district near its outer-edge, between 
Cliffe Pypard and Yatesbury; it flows south and south-east by 
Yatesbury and Avebury to Silbury Hill; it then turns eastward by 
East Kennet, Manton, Marlborough, Mildenhall, and Chilton Foliot 
just below which it touches the border of the county, separating 
it from Berkshire, and then at Hungerford quits it altogether. The 
course of the Kennet within Wiltshire is about 20 miles. 
The Salisbury or Upper Avon rises in the southern slope of the 
northern chalk district, in the neighbourhood of Devizes, and. flows 
east south-east along the Vale of Pewsey. At Salisbury it is joined 
on the right by the Wily, united with the Nadder. A little lower 
down, it is joined on the left bank by the Bourne, and afterwards 
flows southwards by Standlynch House to Downton, a little below 
which it quits the county. Its length from the neighbourhood of 
Devizes to the border of the county is about 42 miles. 
The Wily rises in the Downs north of Mere in the south- 
west part of the county, and flows first east, then north by the 
Deverills to Warminster, near which it bends to the east south east 
and flows past Heytesbury, Wily, Steeple Langford, Stapleford, 
Ditchampton, and West Harnham to Fisherton, where it joins the 
Avon. Its whole course is about 27 miles. Near Quidhampton 
