THE HAMPSHIRE STREAMS loi 



who contend that the south of England was 

 at the time of the Conquest, more thickl}-, 

 populated than it is at present, as not only in this 

 district, but throughout the whole country, there 

 were more mills at that time than at present. But 

 that they must have been small is apparent, as they 

 were in general erected over insignificant streams, 

 with an inadequate supply of water to grind a large 

 quantity of corn, and with machinery rude and of 

 little power. The state of society at that period 

 sufficiently accounts for the number of mills ; there 

 was little communication either between towns or 

 villages ; families were isolated ; there was but little 

 trade, whilst a mill was considered as requisite to 

 any abbey or mansion as a brewery or bakehouse." 

 In these days, on the other hand, the number of 

 small mills is steadily diminishing on many of our 

 southern streams, though on some there are still 

 too many to please the angler. 



A branch of the South Western Railway follows 

 pretty closely the course of the Test from Fullerton 

 to Southampton, and has stations at Horsebridge, 

 Mottisfont, and Romsey, the three principal places 

 on the stream below the point where the Wallop 

 Brook comes in. The Test here flows through 

 a broad valley bounded with a low range of wooded 

 hills — a fresh and open country, but scarcely so 

 pretty, and not nearly so wild, as along the upper 

 parts of the stream. A little below Mottisfont 

 another small tributary flows in from Lockerley. 

 Romsey, where what has been called the mid Test 

 ends, is a bright town, the largest place except 

 Southampton on the Test or its tributaries, and here 

 commences the salmon water. The stream receives 

 two more tributaries below Romsey, one coming 



