SUSSEX. 141 



the finest wheat and bean growing districts in England, whicli extends northward to 

 Silchester, a village on the boundary of Berkshire. Silchester is interestino- on 

 account of the remains of a Roman amphitheatre. Alton, on the Upper Wey, is 

 famous for its hops. Aldershot, since the establishment of a permanent military 

 camp on the downs in its neighbourhood in 1854, has grown from an inconsider- 

 able village into a populous town. The two military colleges of Sandhurst lie to 

 the north of the camp, within the county of Berkshire. 



Rycle, opposite Portsmouth Harbour, is the largest town of the Isle of "Wight. 

 It is altogether a town of pleasure, surrounded by gardens and villa residences, 

 and the chief landing-place of the crowds of visitors annually attracted by the beau- 

 tiful scenery of the island. Viewport, the chief town, almost in the centre of the 

 island, at the head of the estuary of the Medina, possesses few features of interest ; 

 but it adjoins the pretty village of Carisbrooke, commanded by a picturesque IN'orman 

 castle, in which Charles I. was confined a prisoner, and his daughter Elizabeth 

 died in 1650. The port of the Medina is at Cowes. If Portsmouth is the great 

 resort of men-of-war, and Southampton a principal station for mail-steamers, "West 

 Cowes may feel some pride in being the head-quarters of the royal yacht squadron. 

 Its regattas are the most famous in the world, and on these occasions the most 

 expert seamanship may be witnessed, for the members of the Royal Yacht Club 

 have in their service 1,500 of the best sailors England is able to furnish. Slat- 

 woods, a villa near Cow'es, was the birthplace of Dr. Arnold, of Rugby, and Osborne 

 House is the marine residence of her Majesty Queen Yictoria. 



Sandorcn is a favourite resort on the south-east coast of the Isle of Wight. The 

 road leads thence through the lovely village of Bonchurch to Veninor, the chief 

 place on the Underclifi'. Bonchurch, in the opinion of Dr. Arnold, is " the most 

 beautiful thins: on the sea-coast this side of Genoa." 



Freshwater Gate, Alum Bay (where sand is dug for the glass trade), and 

 Yarmouth are favourite tourist haunts in the extreme west of the island, close 

 to the famous " Needles." 



Sussex, which preserves the name of a Saxon kingdom, is a maritime county 

 belonging to two well-marked geological districts, viz. those of the Chalk and the 

 Wealden. The chalky range of the South Downs extends through the southern 

 portion of the county, from the borders of Hampshire to Beachy Head. It slopes 

 down gently towards the sea, but presents a bold escarpment where it joins the 

 Weald. To this latter the remainder of the county belongs, and it abounds in 

 wild woodland scenery, unsurpassed in any other part of England. Most of the 

 rivers which rise on the southern slope of the Forest Ridge, the backbone of the 

 Wealden district, find their way to the sea through the downs by courses which 

 they have hollowed for themselves. The soil of the Weald is for the most part a 

 stiff tenacious clay, but along the sea-coast, in Pevensey Level and around 

 Winchelsea, there occur extensive tracts of fine marsh land. Hops are raised in 

 large quantities, and the county is justly celebrated for its fine breeds of sheep and 

 cattle, and the excellence and abundance of its timber, oak being more prevalent 

 in the Weald, and beech in the other parts. Ironstone exists, but it has not ieen 



