252 KINGSCLERE 



century ; and the desire of the eye for physical 

 perfection and beauty could scarcely be better satis- 

 fied than by a sight of the thoroughbreds in training 

 on a bright morning on the Downs.' 



This great rolling down-land, with its widely 

 scattered and sparse agricultural population, is rich 

 with the romance of history. Respecting the origin 

 of the names of the principal places which mark the 

 range within which the Park House stud is trained, 

 there would appear to be some doubt, even amongst 

 the soundest authorities. Mr. W. Money, F.S.A., 

 of Newbury, says : ' Many theories have been 

 advanced as to the meaning of the Saxon termina- 

 tion clere in Kings-clere, Burgh-clere, and High- 

 clere, which may possibly denote that these places 

 rise clear above the adjoining country, or a clear 

 opening, or clearing in the forest. Thus we have 

 Burgh-clere, where there is an extensive camp, and 

 High-clere, which is some nine hundred feet above 

 the level of the sea.' Mr. T. W. Shore, F.G.S., 

 who has written exhaustively, and with a congenial 

 pen, of Down and Town, 1 says: ' The country in the 

 north of Hampshire which is known now as the 

 Clere district, comprises the three parishes of Kings- 

 clere, Burghclere, and Highclere. The name de- 

 notes a clearing or an open space, and the natural 

 features of the chalk downs extending from the 

 comparatively low ground near Basingstoke to the 



1 Pre-historic Races and their Remains in the old Clere Country 

 of Hampshire, and Kings clere and its Ancient Ty things, a paper read 

 at Kingsclere, June 6, 1895. 



