WILTSHIRE. 



in difFerent conditions, the application of the grounds in the 

 chalk diftriift cannot be very eafily improved, or materially 

 altered for the better. 



In North Wiltfhire the number of common fields is very 

 great, but none of them are of any confiderable extent. It 

 is fubjeft of regret, however, that they (hould exift at all, 

 as many of them are difperfed over the richeft foil in the 

 diftrift ; and if brought under regular cultivation would be 

 extremely produftive. 



The chaces within Wiltfliire are fuppofed to have been 

 numerous formerly, but only three woodland diftrifts novir 

 retain that peculiar appellation : thefe are Cranbourn-chace, 

 Vernditch-chace, and Albourn-chace. The firft and fecond 

 join each other, and occupy a long narrow traft of country 

 on the fouthern confines of Wiltfhire. There are three 

 canals which interfeft parts of this county : firft, the Thames 

 and Severn ; fecondly, the Kennet and Avon ; and thirdly, 

 the Wiltfhire and Berkfhire. See Canals. 



The manufadures of Wiltfhire are various, and of great 

 extent. Salifbury is noted for its flannels and fancy wool- 

 lens ; and befides carries on a confiderable manufaftory of 

 cutlery and fteel goods, which are probably fuperior in 

 workmanfhip to any in the kingdom. Wilton was cele- 

 brated for a large manufaftory of carpets, and Mere for 

 another of fancy woollens ; and in its neighbourhood a great 

 I quantity of linen is made, chiefly dowlas and bed-ticks. 

 Broad cloths, kerfeymeres, and fancy cloths, are the prin- 

 cipal produce of the towns of Bradford, Trowbridge, War- 

 minfter, Weftbury, Mclkfham, Chippenham, and all the 

 adjacent towns and villages from Chippenham to Heytef- 

 bury. At Albourn is au excellent manufaftory of cotton 

 goods, of which fuftians and thickfets form the moft valu- 

 1 able portion. Swindon and its vicinity has been long famed 

 I for its manufadlory of gloves. 



Ecclifmjlical and Civil Divifion and Government. — The 

 ' whole of this county is fituated in the province of Canter- 

 ! bury ; and, with exception of the parifli of Kingfwood, is 

 in the di^cefe of Salifbury. It comprehends two arch- 

 I deaconries, Sarum and Wilts ; the former comprifing the 

 ' deaneries of Salifbury, Amefbury, Chalk, Pottern, Wilton, 

 I and Wily ; and the latter, with the annexed reftory of 

 ! Minety, thofe of Avebury, Cricklade, Malmfbury, and 

 I Marlborough. 



As in the other counties of England, the chief civil 

 ' magiftrates of Wiltfliire are, the lord-lieutenant, the cuftos 

 ! rotulorum, and the high fheriff; which laft is elefted an- 

 I Dually, and whofe official bufinefs is chiefly condufted by a 

 deputy-fheriff. The other local members of government 

 ; are, juftices of the peace, mayors and baihffs of boroughs, 

 ; and a variety of fubordinate officers. The afting magiftrates 

 ' are feventy-three, and the petty feffions for the county 

 ' thirteen. 



; Wiltfhire is comprehended in the weftern circuit, and 

 i fends thirty-four members to parliament, -viz. two knights 

 ! of the fhire, two citizens for Salifbury, and two burgeffes 

 [ for each of the following boroughs ; Chippenham, Calne, 

 I Cricklade, Devizes, Heytefbury, Hindon, Downton, Great 

 I Bedwin, Marlborough, Malmfbury, Ludgf-rfliall, Weft- 

 :bury, Wilton, Wootton-Baffet, and Old Sarum. At an 

 I early period the whole county was divided into twenty-nine 

 [portions, called hundreds; and thefe are again fubdivided 

 I into two hundred and ninety-five fmaller dillnfts, called 

 ■parifhes; with parts of fourteen others. In the county is 

 I one city, Salifbury; and twenty-three market-towns, -y/'z. 

 I Amefbury, Bradford, Calne, Chippenham, Cricklade, De- 

 vizes, Downton, Great Bedwin, Heytefbury, Hindon, 



Ludgerfhall, Malmfbury, Marlborough, Market-Lavington, 

 Melkfham, Mere, Swindon, Trowbridge, Warminfter, 

 Weftbury, Wilton, and Wootton-Baffet. 



The government, provincial management, number, and 

 ftate of the poor in this county, as laid before parliament 

 in the year 1804, and publifhed by authority of the houCe 

 of commons, are detailed in the following particulars. It is 

 ftated, " that returns were received from three hundred and 

 thirty-fix parifhes, or places, in the county of Wilts, in the 

 year 1803 ; in 1785, the returns were from three hundred 

 and thirty-fix ; and from three hundred and twenty-five, in 

 1776." It is then further ftated, " that forty -one parifhes, 

 or places, maintain all or part of their poor in workhoufes ; 

 the number of perfons fo maintained, during the year ending 

 Eafter 1803, was one thoufand fix hundred and feven ; and 

 the expence incurred therein amounted to 14,547/. 2s. o\d., 

 being at the rate of 8/. 19^. Sd. for each perion maintained 

 in that manner. By the returns of 1776, there were forty 

 workhoufes capable of accommodating two thoufand and 

 feventy-nine perfons. The number of perfons relieved out 

 of workhoufes was forty thoufand five hundred and eleven, 

 befides four thoufand five hundred and thirty -fix, who were 

 not parifliioners. The expence incurred in the relief of the 

 poor, not in workhoufes, amounted to 113,888/. I'js. g-^a. 

 A large proportion of thofe who were not pariftiioners ap- 

 pear to have been vagrants ; and, therefore, it is probable 

 the relief given to this clafs could not exceed 2s. each, 

 amounting to 453/. 12s. od. This fum being dedu£ted from 

 the above 113,888/. i']s. g^d., leaves 1 13,435/. 5J- Sfi*^- » 

 being at the rate of 2/. i6s. od. for each parifhioner relieved 

 out of any workhoufe. The number of perfons relieved in 

 and out of workhoufes was forty -two thoufand one hundred 

 and twenty-eight, befides thofe who were not pariftiioners. 

 Excluding the expence fuppofed to be incurred in the relief 

 of this clafs of poor, all other expences relative to the main- 

 tenance of the poor amounted to 131,864/. igs. gld., being 

 at the rate of 3/. 2s. 'jd. for each pariftiioner relieved. The 

 refident population of the county of Wilts, in the year 

 1801, appears from the population abftraft to have beea 

 one hundred eighty -five thoufand one hundred and feven ; 

 fo that the number of parifhioners relieved from the poor's 

 rate appears to be twenty-three in a hundred of the re- 

 fident population. The number of perfons belonging to 

 Friendly Societies appears to be fix in a hundred of the 

 refident population. The amount of the whole total 

 money raifed by rates is i6s. o^d. per head on the popula- 

 tion. The amount of the whole expenditure on account 

 of the poor appears to average at I4J-. ^^d. per head on the 

 population. The expenditure in fuits of law, removal of 

 paupers, and expences of overfeers, and other officers, ac- 

 cording to the prefent abftrad, amounts to 3682/. 15^. od. 

 The amount of fuch expenditure, according to the returns 

 of 1785, was then 3501/. l$s. gd. The expenditure in 

 purchafing materials for employing the poor, according to 

 the prefent abftraft, amounts to 849/. Ss. ']\d. The 

 amount of fucb expenditure, according to the returns of 

 1785, was 434/. lis. 9(/. It does not appear from the re- 

 turns received, that the poor of any parifh or place in this 

 county are farmed or maintained under contraft. The poor 

 of fix parifhes are maintained and employed under the re« 

 gulations of fpecial afts of parliament. Thirty-fix Friendly 

 Societies have been enrolled at the quarter-feffions of this 

 county, purfuant to ttie aft of 33 & 35 Geo. III." — 

 Beauties of England and Wales, Wiltfhire, by J. Britten, 

 F.S.A. 8vo. 1 8 14. Ancient Wiltfhire, by fir Richard 



C- Hoare, bart., folio, 18 15. 



Wiltshire, 



