The Craven. 135 



THE CRAVEN.* 



From the Hampsliire Down of The Vine and Tedworth 

 on the south — to the Lambourne and Fsley Downs 

 (and the Old Berkshire and Vale of White Horse 

 Coumtries) on the north, maps out the latitude of The 

 Craven. The South Berkshire and the Duke of 

 Beaufort^s bound east and west respectively — New- 

 bury being on its eastern border, Marlborough close 

 to its western — joined one to the other by the Old 

 Bath Road. When we add that there are Downs 

 again at the latter place, it might easily be supposed 

 that the Craven Country is down, and nothing but 

 down. It certainly owns to a good deal of it ; but it 

 has also a belt of " London clay ^^ along its southern 

 border, and a great deal of light plough cast over the 

 whole centre of the country. The Bath Road cuts off 

 the clay district at the foot of the Hampshire Hills, 

 and has the Great Western Railway and the river 

 Kennett running side by side with it the greater part 

 of the way from Newbury to Marlborough. North of 

 the Old Road the ground grows gradually lighter till 

 the higher grass level is reached, and we rise from. 



* FicZe Stanford's " Hunting Map," Sheet 15. and Hobj^on'.s 

 Foxhunting Atlas. 



