THE THAMES. 75 



is the celebrated Vale of the White Horse, Wayland Smith's 

 Cave, and the Blowing Stone, in the estimation of Berkshire 

 men the next great wonder to the White Horse ; the blowing 

 stone is a huge sort of natural trumpet, being a large block 

 of stone pierced in a curious manner, this when skilfully 

 played may be heard at five miles' distance, and connoisseurs, 

 it is said, can tell by the note where the player comes from. 

 Returning to the river, the next noticeable part we come to 

 is Tadpole Bridge, and passing several small weirs we arrive 

 at the village of Standlake, where it receives the Windrush. 

 There is good bottom-fishing along this part of the river past 

 Appleton, and Stanton Harcourt. The Church here and 

 the Harcourt Chapel contain monuments well worthy the 

 notice of the Antiquarian. On the Berkshire side, about a 

 mile and three-quarters from the river is Cumnor, immortal- 

 ized by Sir Walter Scott in Kenilworth ; but the Haunted 

 Towers and even the very walls, are gone, and all that is left 

 is but a portion of the foundation. A mile below 



EN SHAM 



the Evenlode falls into the Thames ; and below King's Weir 

 is Godstow Bridge and Lock, near the bridge are some ruins, 

 not .large nor very picturesque ; but they will be looked at 

 with some interest from their connexion with Henry II. and 

 the fair Rosamond. At Godstow Weir some good Trout and 

 Perch are occasionally taken, Between 



OXFORD 



and Iffley the Thames is joined by the Chiswell. At Sandford 

 Lock Pool a Pike weighing twenty pounds was taken with 

 the spinning-bait, May, 1856. Below Nuneham Courtney 

 and 



ABINGDON 



the river is joined by the Berks and Wilts Canal (leading to 

 Bath and Bristol, and communicating with the Thames and 

 Severn Canal) and by the river Ock. About a mile below 

 Days Lock near 



DORCHESTER 



it receives the river Thame. Dorchester is interesting as 



