ENGLAND. 



677 



BeJgmoor. 



Statistics, from fifteen to nearly thirty feet. Its length is rather 

 ""Y"*' more than three miles. Arched sluices, that pass un- 

 der the banks, each with two pair of flood-gates, effect 

 the drainage. When the tide is low, the waters are al- 

 lowed to pass off by means of these gates, while they 

 prevent the sea from entering when the tide is full. 

 By ancient custom, the lords of the twenty-three ma- 

 nors in and adjoining to the marsh, have the manage- 

 ment and superintendance of the drainage. They ap- 

 point a bailiff, as principal supervisor of the works. 

 Edward III. granted a charter of incorporation for the 

 same purpose. By this charter, the laws respecting 

 liomney marsh are to be administered by a bailiff, 

 twentv-four jurats, and the commonalty ; who are em- 

 powered to hold a court every three weeks, to decide 

 on all pleas, and to choose four judges from among 

 themselves yearly, besides the bailiff, whose authority 

 is to be similar. The bailiff, chosen by the lords of the 

 manors interested in the marsh, is generally the same 

 person, as the bailiff chosen under the charter of Ed- 

 ward III. The courts are holden at Newhall, in Dym- 

 church ; and the scots, or levies, for the preservation 

 of the embankment, are then paid. 



We have dwelt thus long and minutely on the fens 

 of Lincolnshire, &c. and the marshes of Kent, &c. be- 

 cause they present very interesting and extensive tracts 

 of level land, and therefore form a prominent feature 

 in the physiognomy of the kingdom, and because their 

 improvement is a matter of great national concern and 

 benefit. But we must pass over the marshes of Somer- 

 setshire, and the level heaths of the kingdom, with less 

 particular and extended description. Sedgmoor is the 

 largest arid most remarkable district of marsh and level 

 land in the county of Somerset ; besides it, there are 

 the Brent marshes, and the low watery grounds, that 

 stretch themselves to a great extent on that side of the 

 county. If to these we add the Connington fens, and 

 the miry tracts in their vicinity, we shall comprehend 

 nearly the whole extent of marsh land in Somersetshire. 

 The most extensive level heaths in the kingdom, are 

 those of Bagshot, and those which lie on the confines of 

 Dorsetshire and Hampshire. Bagshot heath forms the 

 north-western corner of the county of Surry, and pre- 

 sents a very large tract of uncommonly barren land, for 

 the most part quite level and uninteresting. The heaths 

 of Hampshire and Dorsetshire are much less level, and 

 perhaps not quite so irreclaimable. They commence 

 about half way between Cliristehurch, in the former 

 ('unity, and Poole, in the latter. 



Such are the principal vales and level tracts of Eng- 

 land and Wales ; and from this account and description 

 of them, it will be seen, that the most extensive and 

 uninterrupted level tracts are on the eastern side of the 

 kingdom ; while, with the exception of the vale of 

 York, the most extensive, as well as the most beautiful, 

 vales are on the western side, between England and 

 Wales. 



The next grand and distinguishing feature in the 

 physiognomy of the country, consists of the mountains, 

 hills, and morelands ; under the last denomination, 

 comprehending the principal elevated tracts of heathy 

 or moorish ground. 



Chain of Through the whole length of England and Wales, 



them along there are groups of mountains and hills, which, when 

 viewed on a grand scale, may be considered as forming 

 one chain, extending along the western side of the 

 kingdom, from Cornwall to Cumberland. In this chain, 

 all the highest mountains of England and Wales are 

 situated. The breadth of the kingdom may also be 



Mountains. 



considered as determined by two lower ranges of hills ; Statistics.^ 

 one of which extends from Dorsetshire into Kent, v< ^Y" 1 *' 

 while the other stretches, in a waving line, from the 

 island of Portland to the Wolds, in the east riding of 

 Yorkshire. The line which is formed by this latter 

 chain of hills, passes on the western side of Wiltshire 

 and Oxfordshire, and through Northamptonshire, Lei- 

 cestershire, Nottinghamshire, nearly to Scarborough. 



The Bristol Channel, and the low grounds of Lanca- Broken int 

 shire and Cheshire, break and divide the western chain three parts, 

 of mountains into three parts ; which have been deno- 

 minated the Northern, the Cambrian, and the Devonian 

 range. 



The northern range enters Cumberland from Scot- >j ott i, ets " 

 land, and, passing through that county and Westmore- range. 

 land, extends its branches into Northumberland and , 

 Durham. The branch which enters Northumberland berland 

 composes the Cheviot Hills. It is not easy to form an branclu 

 estimate of the extent of these hills, as they unite with 

 the moreland district of Northumberland to the south, 

 and are continued to the westward by similar green 

 hills in Scotland. On the supposition that their bases 

 occupy a circle of about fifteen miles in diameter, their 

 contents will be from 1 50 to 200 square miles. In form, 

 many of them are conical, some of them nearly perfect 

 cones, while the shape of others is very irregular ; in 

 general, however, they are pointed, their sides are steep 

 and smooth, and their bases are nearly in contact one 

 with another. The soil on these mountains, except at 

 their very tops, where points of rock and loose stones 

 appear, is fertile ; from base to summit, they present a 

 refreshing and rich green sward. On the upper parts 

 of that hill, which is emphatically denominated the 

 Cheviot, however, extensive heaths are found. 



That chain of northern mountains which may pro- Cumber- 

 perly be called the Cumberland chain, commences at land branch. 

 Geltsdale Forest, fourteen miles south-east of Carlisle, 

 and passes on the west of Durham and Yorkshire. The 

 surface of these mountains, in general, is excessively 

 rugged ; and in their disposition there is nothing of re- 

 gularity, no lengthened ridge or continuous chain. 

 The appearance of the whole is that of a congeries of 

 broken and mostly pointed masses ; their bulk im- 

 mense, and their bases united, or nearly so, except in 

 those places where they are divided by the lakes which 

 are scattered among them. The Cumbrian hills resem- 

 ble the Cheviot in the green swanl with which they 

 are covered; but Skiddaw, like Cheviot, is partially 

 clothed with heath. The extent of this tract of moun- 

 tains in Cumberland, Westmoreland, and Lancashire, is 

 about 500 or 600 square miles. 



The northern range, taking it in its utmost extent, 

 forms, by its mountains and vallies, the fascinating 

 scenery round the lakes of Cumberland and Westmore- 

 land the gloomy grandeur of Craven, in Yorkshire 

 and the romantic dales of Derbyshire. The loftiest 

 part of it is seen in all its magnificence on the road 

 from Kirby Lonsdale to Kendal. The general height 

 of these mountains is from 3000 to 3400 feet. Accord- 

 ing to the barometrical admeasurements of Mr Dalton, 

 the particular heights of the most remarkable are as 

 follows : 



itdc. 



Sea Fell, Cumberland .... 3240 feet. 



Helvellyn, do 3225 



Skiddaw, do 3175 



Grasmire, do. .... 286'5 



Hill Bell 2436 



Collision Oldman 2571 



Height of 

 some of the 

 mountains 

 in the north 

 of England. 



