1133 



WILTSHIRE. 



WILTSHIRE. 



1131 



land. The level part of the valleys nearest the rivuleta consists of 

 flints washed down lower and mixed with fine earth. 



Some remarkable veins of sand intersect thia district : one of these, 

 of a fertile nature, enters the county at Mere on the borders of Dorset- 

 shire, and takes a north and north-east direction round the outer edge 

 of the Downs, keeping nearly close to their foot, by way of Maiden 

 Bradley, Warminster, Westbury, and Lavington, towards Devizes, 

 where it meets with a much wider and still more fertile vein coming 

 down the Pewsey vale from Burbage. Another vein also enters the 

 county from Dorsetshire, being a continuation of the sand-hills on 

 which Shaftesbury stands, and passes through Donhead, Anety, Swal- 

 lowclift, Fovant, &c., under the foot of the Downs, till it is stopped 

 by the high ground in Burcombfield. This vein id aleo met at or near 

 Fovant by another branch, or rather a ridge of sand-hills, coming from 

 West Knoyle by Stop-Beacon and Ridge. 



The system of cultivation was originally such as the situation of 

 the more fertile soils and their connection with the extensive pastures 

 on the Downs naturally suggested. Wool was no doubt the principal 

 produce, and no more coru was grown than the necessity of the 

 inhabitants required. In no part of England was the system of water- 

 meadows introduced o early or carried to such perfection. A farm 

 consisted of certain buildings and homesteads, with meadows, irri- 

 gated if possible, or kept in heart by folding ; with some fields to raise 

 corn for the family, and a run on the Downs for a certain number of 

 sheep, which were the chief source of rent and profit. Since the 

 common fields have mostly been inclosed and divided among the pro- 

 prietors, more land has been cultivated and better systems have been 

 adopted ; but this has been done slowly. A great and gradual improve- 

 ment however hog taken place, and new methods of cropping, new 

 manures, and improved instruments, as well as more compact and 

 better-arranged farm-buildings, are continually being introduced. 

 Sheep are still a principal object of the Wiltshire farmer, but his 

 attention is not confined to them, and he makes them subservient to 

 a greater production of corn. All the usual crops are raised. 



The water-meadows are extremely well managed. There are two 

 kinds of water-meadows, those irrigated by catch-work and those which 

 are flooded. The flooded meadows are those which lie along the course 

 of the rivers or rivulet*, and are flat and level naturally or rendered 

 so by art. The water is let on by sluices and channels from the upper 

 part of the stream, and kept in by banks, if necessary, and let off again 

 into the lower part of the stream, or on lower meadows, by similar 

 sluices and channels. It is computed that there are above 20,000 

 acres of excellent water-meadow* in this district 



As the cows in this district are not such objects of attention as the 

 sheep the breeds are very various, and few of them of superior quality. 

 The chief dairies are on the borders of Dorsetshire, whence comes the 

 butter ued in the towns. North Wiltshire producing little butter, 

 except whey-butter its chief produce being cheese. The Wiltshire 

 sheep are a variety of the Southdown, but not in general so pure. 

 The original breed was horned, but this has been almost entirely 

 superseded by the polled breed, which produces a finer wool, if not 

 o large a carcass. The Southdown breed has almost entirely super- 

 seded the old Wiltshire breed. The pigs are much the same as in 

 other counties, the Chinese and the Neapolitan breeds having by their 

 crosses improved the original breeds and altered all their qualities. 



The north-western district of Wiltshire differs greatly from the 

 southern district. The sub-soil in this part of the county, instead of 

 being chalk, consists chiefly of flat broken stone, called provincially 

 corn-grate. It is the same as that of the Cotswold Hills in Gloucester- 

 shire. These ctonet serve for building when they are of sufficient 

 thickness, and the thinner layers to cover houses, instead of slate. 

 The top-toil is a reddish calcareous loam mixed with irregular flat 

 stone, and commonly called (tone-brash. In some places a stratum of 

 clay u interposed between the rock and the top-soil, which may easily 

 be known by the oaks which thrive there, whilst on other parts the 

 elm thrive* best. 



There is a very fertile vein of gravel, or rather of small shelly sand 

 with [ttbblcii, covered with a good depth of rich mould, which runs 

 in a brokeu lino from Melkuham through Chippenhain to Cricklade, 

 i i wider from Tytherton through Christian Malford and 

 DaunUey to Somerford. All this vein is very rich laud, especially 

 near DaunUey. A less fertile vein of sand runs from Redburu by 

 Seagry and button Bonger to Langlcy Buruell by Chippenham, ami 

 another begin* at the opposite corresponding hill at Charlcot, and 

 runs through IJremhill to ISrauham. The greatest part of the residue 

 of the soil of this district lies on a hard close rock of a rough irregular 

 kind of spurious limestone, fit only for mending the roads with : the 

 toil above thia rock is mostly retentive of moisture, and consequently 

 cold. 



This district is essentially a dairy country, and probably has been 

 (o from time immemorial. The buildings are well suited to this 

 -e, and placed conveniently with respect to the surrounding 

 field*. , The cheett-lofta are often on a very extensive scale ; and all 

 thu building* are kept in a neat and substantial order. Leases are 

 common for 14 or 21 years, and the tenant is prevented from selling 

 hay or straw, which cures his keeping sufficient stock for manure. 

 The implement* are similar to those used in the south-eastern district. 

 The common fields have been mostly inclosed, to the great advantage 



of the husbandry. Some of the best land has been laid down in 

 grass, and a better system of cropping has been generally introduced, 

 as well as a cleaner tillage. The grass-land forms the greater portion 

 of North Wiltshire, and the cheese made there in justly celebrated. 



The breed of milch-cows is an object of greater attention in this 

 district than in the southern. A great many cows are fatted in the 

 dairies. The sheep in this district are much the same as in the 

 southern portion of the county, and although there are not such 

 extensive sheep-pastures, there is usually a flock attached to every 

 arable farm, and folding is one of the chief modes of manuring the 

 fields. Many porkers are fatted in the dairies on the whey, after it 

 has been skimmed and whey-butter made. The breed of pigs has 

 been much improved. There is nothing peculiar in the breed of 

 horses; those used on the farms are mostly imported young from 

 other counties. 



There are very few market-gardens or orchards in this district, ami 

 no cider is made. Vegetables are only raised for sale near the towns ; 

 every farm having generally as much garden as the family requires, 

 and no more. The woods have diminished greatly all over the county, 

 which was once very well-wooded. 



There are many excellent markets in Wiltshire ; the principal corii- 

 marketa are Warminster, Devizes, and Salisbury. Swindou and Salis- 

 bury are excellent cattle-markets. Marlborough is a great market for 

 cheese, although most of it is contracted for by factors, who take the 

 whole produce to London, Bath, and Bristol. 



JKvisions, Tovmi, <t-c. The county is divided into 28 hundreds, 

 which are situated as follows : 



Alderbury, south-east; Amesbury, east; Bradford, west; Branch 

 and Dole, central; Calne, central; Cawden and Cad worth, south; 

 Chalk, south; Chippenham, north-west; Damerhain North, north- 

 west, with Damerham South, south-west ; Downton, south and south- 

 west ; Dunworth, south-west ; Elstub and Everley, east and central ; 

 Frustfield, south-east; Heytesbury, south-west and central; High- 

 worth, Cricklade, and Staple, north; Kingsbridge, north-east and 

 central ; Kinwardstone, east ; Malmeebury, north ; Melksham, west 

 and central; Mere, south-west; Potterne and Cannings, central; 

 Ramsbury, north-east; Selkley, east and central; Swanborough, 

 central ; Underditch, south-east and central ; Warminster, west ; Weat- 

 bury, west ; Whorwelsdown, west 



The city of Salisbury is included in Underditch hundred, the 

 borough of Devizes in Potterne and Cannings hundred, and the borough 

 of Marlborough in Selkley hundred. 



Wiltshire contains the county town and city of New Sarum, or 

 SALISBURY; the parliamentary boroughs of CALNE, CHIPPENUAM, 

 CRICKLADK, DEVIZES, MALMESBDRY, MARLBOROUOH, WESTBORY, aud 

 WILTON; the disfranchised boroughs of GREAT BEDWYN, DOWNTON, 

 Heytesbury, Hiudon, Ludgershall, Old Sarutn, and Wootton-Basset ; 

 and the market-towns of AMESBCRY, BRADFORD, CORSHAM, HIQHWORIH, 

 East or Market Laviugton, MELKSHAM, MERE, SWINDOH, TROWBKIDGE, 

 and WABMINSTEB. The places printed in small capitals are described 

 in separate articles. Of the rest we subjoin an account, the population 

 given being that of 1851 : 



Heytetbury, population 1210, on the left bank of the Wily, about 

 17 miles N.W. by W. from Salisbury, had for its Sxon name Heg- 

 tredesbiryg, softened in Domesduy into Haseberie. The church is a 

 large cruciform edifice, with a square tower at the intersection of the 

 nave and transept It was anciently collegiate. The Independents 

 have a chapel, and there is a National school. The manufacture of 

 woollen-cloth employs a few of the inhabitants. 



llindon, population 710, about 15 miles W. by N. from Salisbury, 

 is a small market-town and decayed borough. The church or chapel 

 (for East Knoyle is the mother church) is a plain building ; it was 

 founded in the 16th century; in 1836 it was repaired and enlarged. 

 The Primitive Methodists and Independents have places of worship, 

 and there are National schools. The market is on Thursday ; fairs 

 are held on May 27th and October 29th for horses, cattle, sheep, and 

 poultry. 



Imttycrthall, colloquially termed Lurshall, population 580, about 

 17 miles N.N.E. from Salisbury, close to. the Hampshire border, ia 

 called Litlegarsele in Domesday. There are some remains of a castle 

 erected soon after the Norman Conquest. The church is of irregular 

 form, with nave, chancel, and two transepts of very unequal dimen- 

 sions. The Primitive Methodists and Baptists have places of worship, 

 and there is a Free school. A mutilated stone cross distinguishes what 

 was formerly the market-place. There is a considerable yearly fair. 



Old Sarum, situated about a mile and a half N. from Salisbury, ia 

 generally regarded as the Sorbiodunum of the Romans. Its name, 

 derived from the Celtic words sorbio, ' dry,' and ' dun,' ' a city or 

 fortress,' leads to the conclusion that it was a British post. The 

 number of Roman roads which met at Old Sarum, which are noticed 

 at the end of this article, and the mention of the place in the Itinerary 

 of Antoninus, show that it was occupied by the Romans, but the 

 remains present little resemblance to the usual form of their posts. 

 In the Saxon times, Sarutn, under the somewhat altered name of 

 Searobyrig, Serasbyria, and SarUberia, is frequently noticed by histo- 

 rians. Keuric, son of Cerdic, defeated the Britons in this neighbour- 

 hood, A.D. 552; aud in 1003 the place was taken and burned by Svveyu, 

 king of Denmark. Under the Anglo-Saxon and Anglo-Norman princes, 



