iv. MINERAL WATERS. FORDS. 51 



is seldom wholly absent. Chloride of sodium is well known to 

 exist in almost every spring. As an example of a spring over-rich 

 in carbonate of lime, the Hincksey water may be mentioned, which 

 has been brought to some of the colleges in Oxford. At Somerton, 

 on the Cherwell, a strongly petrifying spring is mentioned by Plot, 

 and another at North Aston. Another case near Oxford occurs 

 above Marston Lane; and Dr. Plot narrates the petrifying effect 

 of the well-water pumped at the Cross Inn, near Carfax. 



Chalybeate springs the iron-salt being a carbonate are fre- 

 quent, as at Stow, Northleigh, Shipton-under-Wychwood, Nether 

 Worton, North "Weston, Heddington, and Astrop, south-east of 

 Banbury, which was noted as curative some years ago. They are 

 from the base of the inferior or great oolite or marlstone. 



Sulphureous waters occur at Idbury, Chadlington, Churchill Mill, 

 Banbury, Deddington, Clifton near Deddington, and a bog in King's 

 Sutton parish j a saline water is mentioned at Cumnor. 



Fords. In examining the course of many English streams, the 

 places where considerable roads cross are often marked by the 

 epithet ' ford ; ' as Oxford, Andover's Ford on the Coin, or simply 

 Ford on the Upper Windrush. One who looks at these last-named 

 places may wonder at the designation ; for an active schoolboy can 

 overleap the stream, which is besides not deep. Yet, on further 

 reflection, he will admit the justice of the title, and discover in 

 it matter for curious research. In the wilder state of our country, 

 the little streams, 'wandering at their own sweet will,' made an 

 hundred little twists in the course of a mile ; nay, even now on the 

 Evenlode and Windrush, this is a common fact. These parts of 

 the channel were often, and still are, in marshy and reedy clays, 

 with failing banks and no secure bottom. For the ' essedse' in war, 

 or the ' wain' bearing salt ; for horses and men, and even sheep 

 and oxen, these were no fit passing places, however small the stream. 

 Fords, then, were sought, where a firm rock made a solid floor, 

 or hard gravel offered equal security. Thus at Oxford, the gravelly 

 bed of the valley, at Ford on the Windrush, and many other places 

 on the Cotswold waters, a portion of the oolitic rocks presents the 

 natural condition which was desired. A 'ford,' in fact, did not 

 imply originally a place where the water is shallow, while on either 

 hand it is deep ; it is the ' trajectus,' the ' road' across a stream, 

 and probably is of British origin : ' ffordd,' in fact, is a .road, path, 



E 2, 



