: 



BERKSHIRE. 



BERKSHIRE. 



: M 



the village of Aldermaston, and there landing to the north-east to 

 Reading fall* into the Thames a little below that town. That part of 

 iU OOUTM which can be considered <a belonging to thi comity is 

 about SO or 32 mile* ; the coune of the Lambourn to its junction 

 with the Kcnnet in about 15 miles. Both of these Driven produce 

 trout, pike, barbel, eels, crayfish, perch, chub, roach, and dace. The 

 Kennet, by meant of artificial cute, is made navigable from Newbury 

 to the Thames, a distance by the stream of about 20 miles, in the 

 coune of which, from the great difference of 1 

 than 21 lock*. 



The Loddon rises in Hampshire, and for some distance separates 

 that county from Berkshire, flowing towards the west-north-west. 

 Near the Tillage of Swallowfivld it turns to the north-north-east and 

 Bows to Hunt Park, receiving by the way the Emme brook. From 

 Hunt Park it turns to the north-west and flows into the Thames 

 between Reading and Henley. Its whole length is nearly 30 miles, of 

 which about miles are along the border and 12 miles within the 

 county. Near its outfol) its waters divide and flow into the Thames 

 by several channels. 



The Ock rises in the north-western part of the county, runs a 

 general east-north-east course, and receiving many tributaries by the 

 way, falls into the Thames near Abiugdon. Its whole course is about 

 20 miles. 



The Auborne or Emborne rises in the south-western corner of the 

 county, and flowing eastward divides it from Hampshire. Near 

 Brimpton it turns to the north and foils into the Kouuct after a 

 course of about 18 miles. 



The Pang rises on the chalk hills near Compton, a few miles from 

 East Ilsley ; and flows for several miles southward. Near Bucklebury 

 'it turns eastward ; by Bradfield it turns to the north and falls into' 

 the Thames at Pangbourn. 



Besides the navigation of the Thames and the Kennet, Berkshire 

 has two canals, namely, the Wilts and Berks Canal, and the 1 

 and Avon Canal. The Wilts and Berks Canal commences in the river 

 Thames just below Abiugdon, and is carried through the Vale of 

 Horse past Wantage into Wiltshire : crossing this county near 

 Swindon, Calne, and Chippeuham, it joins the Kennet and Avon Canal 

 not far from Melksham. The height of the Thames at the commence- 

 ment of this canal is ISO feet above the sea at low water, and the 

 canal rises in its course through this county till it enters Wiltshire, 

 where it attains its summit level of 345 feet. It supplies with fuel 

 the district through which it passes, and enables the agriculturist to 

 send his corn and other produce to market. The Kcnuet and Avon 

 Canal commences at Newbury, forming a continuation of the River 

 Kennet Navigation, and passes up the Yale of Kenuet by Hunger-ford 

 and Great Bed wyn to Crofton in Wilts, near which its summit level 

 begins. From this level it continues its coune by Devizes, Semington 

 (a village at which it is joined by the Wilts and Berks Canal), Trow- 

 bridge, and Bradford, and unites with the Avon about a mile from 

 Bath. The elevation of the highest point of the Kennet Navigation 

 is 264 feet, and the summit level of the Kennet and Avon Canal, at 

 Crofton tunnel, is 210 feet more. A little way above Hungerford the 

 canal is carried over the Kcnnet by an aqueduct of three arches. 



The principal roads which pass through Berkshire are those from 

 London to Bath and Oxford. Both these enter the county at Maiden- 

 head, a little beyond which they separate, the Oxford road running 

 nearly due west to Henley, just before entering which it leaves the 

 county, and the Bath road running south-west to Reading. There are 

 two other roads from London to Heading, both of which pass through 

 Kghm in Surrey, and separating there run nearly parallel to each 

 other until they reunite a few miles before they reach Reading. 

 From Reading the Bath road passes through Newbury and Hunger- 

 fi.nl. just after which it enters Wiltshire. Various other important 

 roads croas the county. 



The turnpike roads in this county are good, as are also the private 

 roads in the south-eastern part, especially about Reading. The 

 private road* in the Vale of White Horse are deep and miry in 

 h 



The main line of the Great Western railway passes through the 

 county from Maidenhead to near Swindon. A branch runs off from 

 Iiidout to Oxford, Rugby, and Birmingham. From Reading a branch 

 extends nearly parallel to the Avon Navigation to Newbury and 

 Hungerford. A branch from Reading to Baaragstoke unites tho Qreat 

 Western with the South- Western railway ; and another branch lino, 

 called the Reading, Uuildford, and Reigato railway, unites the Great 

 Western with the South-Easteni and Brighton railways. The v 

 branch of the Sooth- Western, and a abort branch from the Groat 

 Western railway, enter the county at Windsor. A branch of the 

 Great Western railway, from Maidenhead to High Wycombe, in 

 Buckinghamshire, is now in course of construction, as is also one from 

 Staioes to Wokin K ham. 



Climate, Soil, Ayrirulturt. The climate of Berkshire is one of the 

 most healthy in England. The chalky hills in the western part of 

 the county are remarkable for the invigorating and linn-ing qualities 

 of the air. The valet being milder may perhaps suit delicate constitu- 

 tions better, and, having pure streams running through them, which 

 make the air circulate and purify it, are considered as healthy as the 

 hills. Fevers and epidemic diseases are very rare. 



The soil, as may be expected in a county of such extent and HO 

 irregular in shape, is extremely varied. The principal hills are com- 

 posed of chalk ; the valleys of different sorts of loam, in which clay 

 predominates, with gravel and sand upon it rising into small eleva- 

 tions. Along the riven there arealluviul deposits. The i 

 seems to lie over chalk or limestone. Windsor t'ostlo, at on< 

 stands on a solitary mass of chalk surrounded by stiff clay. This 

 clay in some places has a depth t' ''"> feet over tho chalk, as was 

 found in boring for water near Winklirld plain. The chalk rises to 

 the surface near Maidenhead and Marlow. The chalk, which dips so 



nder Windsor Forest, appears again in Hamp.*luTc. Tl 

 of the forest is a compact blue clay, of the same nature as that which 

 is usually called the London clay, and in which nearly the whole bed 

 of the Thames lies, from near Reading to the sea. 



Over this clay lies the poor sand and loam impregnated with iron, 

 known by the name of Bogshot Heath land, which extends into Hamp- 

 shire and Surrey ; and also the richer alluvial soils in the vail. ;, 

 along the banks of the Thames and the Kennet. I'mlcr 

 White Horse, where the richest soils occur, the chalk runs into a 

 harder limestone of a blue colour, and a freestone or oolitv, which 

 composes the Cotswold uuceatershire. (Mayor's 'Survey 



of Berkshire,' Appendix vi.) 



In the Vale of White Hone are some of the most fertile lands in 

 England. The western part of the vale is chiefly covered with rich 

 pastures, the soil being a good loom on a sound aud dry .- 

 Along the bottom of the White Horse Hills lies th land, 



for which the vale is renowned, intermixed with gravel aud sandy 

 loams of an inferior quality, and some very stiff clays. Along the 

 Thames is a narrow belt of rich meadows, nowhere exceeding two 

 miles in breadth. 



The next agricultural district of importance is the Vale i>f K 

 extending along the river Kennet, and on the south of the broad 

 chalk hills forming the range of the White Horse, from Hungerfurd 

 to Reading, a distance of about 25 miles. The soil of this vale 

 so generally fertile as that of White Horse, which is called ' The 

 Vale,' by way of pre-eminence ; but it is well adapted to the growth 

 of corn ; and the inferiority in natural fertility is compensated by 

 superior care in the cultivation. The markets of Newbury and 

 Reading not only supply the less fertile districts and the dairy coun- 

 ties with corn, but likewise give employment to numerous mill.-. 

 whence flour is sent in considerable quant ion market. 



On the south of the Kennet are some compact clays, in \\ hi. 

 thrive, and where good crops of wheat and beans are raised with 

 careful culture. Along the river Kcunet, from Hungerford to Reading, 

 there is a valuable tract of water-mead' 



Under the meadows, along part of the Rennet near Newbury, 

 there is a species of peat, which is extensively reduced to ashes by 

 burning, and applied as a top-dressing to clover and artificial grasses. 

 The stratum varies in thickness from one to eight or nine feet The 

 bottom on which it rests is a gravelly loam with an unf\ 

 The true peat is of a compact nature, and is composed almost entirely 

 of vegetable matter. In it are found the remains of trees partly 

 decomposed, and surrounded by a tough mass of decomposed aquatic 

 plants. The process adopted is to heap up large masses of peat, 

 keeping it slowly burning for a mouth or six weeks till tho w). 

 properly converted into ashes. The heaps are often three or four 

 yards high, and fifteen or twenty yards in circumference. As soon as 

 the ashes are cool V* in riddled to separate the unbiirnt 



clods ; aud the ashes are used immediately, or stored under cover till 

 they are wanted. These ashes are found to be of great H. 

 Tin" principal causa of their good effect* on green crop* 

 leys is, most probably, the quantity of gypsum which they 001 

 amounting to 32 parts in 100. Between the Vale of White Horse and 

 that of tho Kcnuet extends a district of inferior land, partly consoling 

 of chalky hills covered with nhecp-wiilks, and of dales of moderate 

 . . The soil is principally calcareous, with variations of clay 



: -..1 .1 .. 



The chalky hills on the west side of the Thames ni ' (nun 



the hills in the south-east angle of Oxf<< 



near Goring, through which tho river I''"" which 



border the Thames, there are extensive i ' he rich Vole of 



White Horse, and into tix!'..rdi.hiiv; and, in general, the aspect of 

 the country from any eonsid.-ral'le hill is that of great richness and 

 variety. Berkshire contains a very large number of villas and gentle- 

 men's residences. 



In the iwiti'ru ]irt of the county the hills i'n.iu Kglmm to Bray 

 are covered with M. : and yoniiR plantation, and form the 



picturesque scencr > or Great Park This forms a contrast 



with th.- ..pen heath extending to Bagshot, which was divided and 

 inclosed in the year 1813, when the forcstul rights were abolished l.y 

 act of parlint 



The forest of Windsor included twelve entire parishes and parts of 

 three others. The open uninclosed forest in these parishes amounted 

 to about 24,000 acres ; much of it remains now in its original state, 

 h dividi-d and inclosed. The allotments given to the in-own, 

 nnii ninting to above one-fourth of the whole, have been mostly planted 

 with trees, where they were not already in woods. 



The soil in the forest district is extremely various; along the Thames, 



