ENGLAND. 



687 



Statistic*, ing object from the high hills on each side of it, being 

 ""Y""' filled with vessels, and winding in extensive reaches 

 between high banks. Its exit to the sea is not less 

 striking, the bold ruin of Tynmouth Castle terminat- 

 ing its northern bank in a grand and impressive man- 

 ner. 



The Te,-=. The source of the Tees is contiguous to that of the 

 South Tyne, in the vast moors which separate York- 

 shire from Durham, Cumberland, and Westmoreland. 

 At first it flows in a south-easterly direction ; but be- 

 neath the town of Darlington, it turns abruptly to the 

 north-east, and falls into the sea below Stockton, which 

 may be considered its port. This river, flowing for a 

 considerable part of its course through a wild and ro- 

 mantic country, bears the same character. During the 

 latter part of its course, however, its character changes, 

 and its banks are rendered busy and populous by a 

 great variety of works. In many parts, they are frin- 

 ged with wood of considerable growth and value. 

 The Trent. The Trent deserves a fuller notice than we have 

 given to any of the rivers, except perhaps the Thames 

 and the Severn, on account not only of the length of 

 its course, but also of the fertile districts through which 

 it passes ; the immense number of canals, by means of 

 which it has an inland communication with almost every 

 part of the kingdom; and the multitude of rivers, some 

 of them of considerable size and note, which it receives 

 in its passage to the sea. 



The Trent takes its rise in ,the hills beyond Ncw- 

 eastle-under-I-vne, in that part of Staffordshire that 

 borders on Cheshire. At first, its course is nearly 

 south-east ; it then makes a sudden turn by the east 

 to the north near Barton. From this place it divides 

 Leicestershire from Derbyshire for a short time. It 

 then crosses the south part of Derbyshire, and skirting 

 the north-west part of Leicestershire, it enters Notting- 

 hamshire a little below Thrumpton. After passing Not- 

 tingham and Newark in a north-east direction, it sud- 

 denly turns to the north, near the latter town, and 

 flowing past Gainsborough, enters Lincolnshire at East 

 Stock worth ; and about five miles below Burton-upon- 

 Strather, falls into the H umber. It is navigable up- 

 wards of 100 miles. 



Ju charac- '^ nc general character of the Trent, is that of a full 

 to. transparent stream. It flows among rich meadows, and 



through populous districts; but unless increased by 

 floods, it in no respect, and in no part of its course, 

 resembles the rivers of the north of England. Soon 

 after it passes Newcastle-under-Lyne, it meets with the 

 numerous canals which abound in this manufacturing 

 district : these frequently follow a course parallel with 

 it, through the pleasant valley near Stone. After its 

 junction with the Blythe, Taine, Soar, Dove, Derwent, 

 and Erwark, it becomes a considerable stream, flowing 

 through a range of beautiful and fertile meadows, 

 bounded by finely wooded hills, and chequered with 

 villages. After passing Nottingham, another rich vale 

 receives it, with the hills of the forest of Sherwood on 

 the left. Before it reaches the town of Newark, it di- 

 vides itself into two streams, one of which washes the 

 walls of that place, and the other passes by Kelham : 

 the two branches again unite a little below, in a broad 

 plain, which gradually declines in beauty as it becomes 

 more level. Here the surrounding flat seldom permits 

 the Trent to be distinguished. With the assistance of 

 the tide, vessels of some burden can navigate it as far 

 as Gainsborough. After passing this town, it flows 

 through a range of fens, without any distinguishing 

 feature, till joining the Yorkshire Ouse, the grand es- 



tuary of the Humber is formed, which divides York- Statistic, 

 shire from Lincolnshire. '*"""" ~Y~"~" ' 



Of the auxiliary streams which unite with the Trent, Its auxilia- 

 the Blythe is the first of any consequence. It rises a ry streams 

 few miles to the eastward of that river, and pursues on j t " e 

 nearly a parallel course, till it joins it near King's Brom- so 

 ley. The Tame rises near Coleshill in Warwickshire, 

 and after a short course, in which there is nothing re- 

 markable, except the castle of Tamworth, it unites 

 with the Trent a few miles above Burton. The Dove 

 rises near the Peak in Derbyshire, and after various 

 windings, generally inclining to the eastward from the 

 south, it falls into the Trent below Burton. This river 

 is very romantic in its character for a considerable part 

 of its course, particularly where it forms the dell of 

 Dove-dale. It afterwards flows through more expand- 

 ed vales, and joins the Trent near Burton. Near Saw- 

 ley, on the borders of Leicestershire and Nottingham- 

 shire, the Trent is augmented by the Derwent, which 

 also rises near the Peak of Derbyshire, -and pursues a 

 course nearly parallel to that of the Dove to Derby, 

 where it inclines to the east. The features of this river 

 are still more peculiar and extraordinary than those of 

 the Dove. The Soar is a river of an entirely different 

 character ; rising west from Hinckley in Leicestershire, 

 it passes through a rich grazing country, and more than 

 half encompasses the ancient town of Leicester ; after 

 which, it receives the Wreke from the north-east, and 

 then turns to Mount Soar Hill, where an abrupt rock, 

 (an extraordinary feature in so level a country), over- 

 hangs it, watering, in its course, meadows of extra- 

 ordinary beauty and fertility, till it falls into the Trent, 

 not far from Cavendish Bridge. 



Yorkshire also supplies various streams, to increase FromYork- 

 the size of the Trent. The Don rises in the high moors shlre< 

 of this county, near the confines of Derbyshire. It 

 takes a south "eastern direction to Sheffield, and then 

 turns north-east by Rotherham to Doncaster. At 

 Thornc it alters its course to the north, and soon after- 

 wards joins the Northern Ouse. The character of 

 this river does not correspond with its mountainous 

 origin, except very near its source. Near Doncaster 

 it forms a most beautiful vale, but after passing this 

 town, it sinks into an extensive flat and tame country, 

 which environs the Ouse. Just before its junction with 

 this river, it is divided into two branches, the lower of 

 which appears to be a navigable cut, and is called the 

 Dutch river. The Calder rises in Yorkshire, near the 

 borders of Lancashire. Its course is very winding, but 

 nearly in an easterly direction, till it reaches Wakefield ; 

 it then turns to the north, and joins the Ayre near Ferry- 

 bridge. This river is more rapid than the Don, but is 

 more remarkable, from the circumstance of the numer- 

 ous canals by which it is intersected, and which form 

 a junction between the eastern and western seas, than 

 by aijy peculiar feature. The origin of the Ayre is 

 mountainous, a little to the north-east of Settle, in York- 

 shire. It pursues a course to the south-east, nearly as 

 far as Leeds, where it turns nearly eastward ; after its 

 junction with the Calder, it traverses a flat country, 

 and receiving the Don, joins the Ouse near Howden. 

 The district of Craven, through which it flows in the 

 first part of its course, is singularly romantic ; while at 

 Leeds its character is entirely changed, its banks being 

 covered with the various manufactories of that place. 

 Between Leeds and Ferrybridge, it divides one of the 

 richest plains in the kingdom ; afterwards it possesses 

 little beauty, passing through a level country, to join 

 the Ouse, not far from the Don. 





