AEE Gy Rel | 
I. SOUTH-EAST DISTRICT. 
Tue diftrit ufually called South Wilcthire, but 
more properly South-eaft Wiltfhire, comprehend- 
ing that part of the county called Wiltfhire Downs, 
is divided into two principal fubdivifions, called 
Salifbury Plain, and Marlborough Downs, and con- 
tains in all about feven hundred and eighty fquare 
miles, or five hundred thoufand acres. 
The diftant appearance of the whole is that of a 
large elevated plain, but the furface is broken into 
-numberlefs inequalities, and interfected by feveral 
deep vallies, formed by brooks or rivulets chiefly 
rifing within this diftriét, and on which the vil- 
Jages, with very few exceptions, are fituated. 
The greateft part of the fprings which rife in 
the part called Salifbury Plain, run fouthward or 
eaftward, and joining at or near Salifbury, near 
the fouth-eaft corner of the county, make the 
river called the Wiltfhire or Upper Avon. Thofe 
which rife in the part called Marlborough Downs, 
join near Marlborough, and make the river called 
the Kennet, which leaves the county at Hungerford, 
after receiving the ftreams which rife in the Bedwin 
Vale. 
Soil. The foil of this diftrict, though various, 
is in a certain degree uniform. The hills are chalk, 
with its ufual accompaniment of flint. The !and 
an the fide of the hills, from which the flints have 
been 
