2 NATURAL HISTORY 



ton Valence *, Faringdon, Harteley Mauduitf, Great Ward le 

 liam\, Kingsley, Hedleigh, Bramshot, Trotton, Rogate, Lysse, 

 and Greatham. The soils of this district are almost as various 

 and diversified as the views and aspects. The high part to the 

 south-west consists of a vast hill of chalk, rising three hundred 

 feet above the village ; and is divided into a sheep down, the 

 high wood, and a long hanging wood called The Hanger. The 

 covert of this eminence is altogether beech, the most lovely of 

 all forest trees, whether we consider it's smooth rind or bark, 

 it's glossy foliage, or graceful pendulous boughs. The down, 

 or sheep-walk, is a pleasing park-like spot, of about one mile 

 by half that space, jutting out on the verge of the hill-country, 

 where it begins to break down into the plains, and command- 

 ing a very engaging view, being an assemblage of hill, dale, 

 wood-lands, heath, and water. The prospect is bounded to the 

 south-east and east by the vast range of mountains called 

 The Sussex Downs, by Guild-down near Guildford, and by 

 the Downs round Dorking, and Ryegate in Surrey, to the 

 north-east, which altogether, with the . country beyond Alton 

 and Farnham, form a noble and extensive outline. 



* [" Newton Valence derives its adjunct from William de Valentin, 

 half-brother to Henry III., who held the manor in 1273." Moody. The 

 name in Domesday Book is spelt Newentone. T. B.] 



t [Hartley Mauditt. The ordinary orthography of Hartley is Hartley 

 Mauditt, or Maudytt. In Domesday Book the name of the then lord is 

 spelt in two different ways, Maldoit and Malduith. The' name Hartley, 

 or Harteley, which occurs in several other places to the north of this 

 parish, forms one of many indications of the extensive ancient forest of 

 the district, extending eastward and including those of Alice Holt and 

 Wolmer.T. B.] 



\ [Worldham. The name of "VVorldham has undergone some remark- 

 able changes in its orthography and pronunciation. In Domesday Book 

 it is spelt Werildeham ; and this was doubtless its name in Saxon times. 

 The common pronunciation amongst the peasantry of the district is 

 Wordlehain ; and I have seen it so spelt in some old official document. 

 The etymology of the name is very doubtful ; and that assumed by White 

 is not supported by any known fact in the history of the parish. Mav 

 a suggestion be hazarded that the Saxon name Werildeham had reference 

 to the reputed longevity of its inhabitants, and that Wer-ylde-ham may be 

 literally translated " The old men's village " ? T. B.] 



