CHAPTER III. 



RIVERS. 



[THE following extracts include the whole of this chapter, with the exception of a few extraneous 

 passages. J. B.] 



I SHALL begin with the river of Wyley-bourn, which gives name to Wilton, the shire town. The 

 mappe-makers write it Wyley fluvius, and joyne a British and a Saxon word together : but that is a 

 received errour. I doe believe that the ancient and true name was Wy, as the river Wy in 

 Herefordshire, which signifies vaga : and so this river Wye, which is fed with the Deverill springs, 

 in its meandrous winding, watering the meadowes, gives the name to the village called Wyley, as 

 also Wilton (Wyleg-ton) ; where, meeting with the upper Avon and the river Adder, it runnes to 

 Downton and Fordingbridge, visiting the New Forest, and disembogues into the sea at Christ Church 

 in Hantshire. On Munday morning, the 20th of September, [1669] was begun a well intended designe 

 for cutting the river [Avon] below Salisbury to make it navigable to carry boates of burthen to and 

 from Christ Church. This work was principally encouraged by the Right Reverend Father in God, 

 Seth, Lord Bishop of Salisbury, his Lordship digging the first spitt of earth, and driving the first 

 wheele barrow. Col. John Wyndham was also a generous benefactour and encourager of this 

 undertaking. He gave to this designe an hundred pounds. He tells me that the Bishop of 

 Salisbury gave, he thinks, an hundred and fifty pounds : he is sure a hundred was the least. The 

 engineer was one Mr. Fartrey, but it seems not his craft's-master ; for through want of skill all this 

 charge and paines came to nothing : but An D'ni 16 . . .it was more auspiciously undertaken and 

 perfected ; and now boates passe between Salisbury and Christ Church, and carry wood and come 

 from the New Forest, the cartage whereof was very deare ; but as yet they want a haven at Christ 

 Church, which will require time and charge. 



[Of the numerous rivers in Wiltshire only a few are navigable, and those only for a short distance 

 in the county. This is the consequence of its inland position and comparative elevation ; whence it 

 results that the principal streams have little more than their sources within its limits. The 

 project of rendering the Avon navigable from Salisbury to Christ Church appears to have been 

 first promulgated by John Taylor, the Water Poet, who, in 1625, made an excursion in his own 

 wherry, with five companions, from London to Christ Church, and thence up the Avon to Salisbury. 

 He published an account of his voyage, under the title of " A Discovery by sea, from London to 

 Salisbury." Francis Mathew also suggested the improvement of the navigation of the river in 

 1655 ; and an Act of Parliament for that purpose was obtained in 1664. Bishop Ward was trans- 

 lated to the see of Salisbury in 1667, but the commencement of the works, as described by Aubrey, 

 was probably delayed till 1669, in August of which year the Mayor of Salisbury and others were 

 constituted a Committee "to consult and treat with such persons as will undertake to render the Avon 



