OVERTON 125 



liere, like the green damp on the entrance lodges of 

 Hall Place, where heraldic lions, sitting on their 

 rumps and holding what at a distance look like quart - 

 pots from the country inn opposite, scowl at one 

 another across the gravelled drive. 



It is a relief to emerge from this stifling atmo- 

 sphere upon the open road where Overton stands. 

 AVe are fully entered here into the valley of the Test, 

 or Anton, a sparkling little stream whose course we 

 follow henceforward as far as Hurstbourne Priors. 

 Fishermen love Overton and this valley well, for 

 there is royal sport here among the trout and gray- 

 ling, and in the village a choice of those old inns 

 which the angler appreciates as much as any one. 

 Picturesque Overton is a doubly ruined village, for it 

 has lost its silk industry, together with the coaching- 

 interest ; but like the splendid bankrupts of modern 

 hioh finance wdio fail for millions and continue to li^e 

 like princes, it continues cheerful. Perha^Ds every 

 one in the place made a competency before the crash, 

 and put it away where no one could touch it I 



The valley broadens out delightfully beyond 

 Overton, and the road, reaching Laverstoke, com- 

 mands beautiful views over the water-meadows, and 

 the open park in whose midst stands Laverstoke House, 

 clearly seen in passing. In this village, in the neat 

 and clean paper-mill by the road, is made the paper 

 for Bank of England notes. It was so far back as 

 1719 that this industry was established here by the 

 Portal family, French Protestants emigrating from 

 their country for conscience' sake. Cobbett, who 

 hated paper-money as much as he did the ' Wen ' in 



