Notes on the History of Mere. 



225 



of the county of Wilts, bordering on Somerset and Dorset, 

 whence possibly it takes its name — mere signifying a boundary. 

 A stone in the middle of a millpond attached to Bourton Foundry 

 marks the junction of the three counties. 



It is bounded on the west by Penselwood, in Somerset, and 

 Stourton, in Wilts ; on the north by Stourton and Kilmington ; 

 on the east by Maiden Bradley, Kingston Deverill, West Knoyle, 

 East Knoyle, and Sedghill, in Wilts ; and on the south by Mot- 

 combe, Gillingham, and Bourton, in Dorset. 



Population. 



The population in 1801 was 2091; in 1811, 2211; in 1821, 

 2422 ; in 1831, 2708 ; in 1841, 3139 ; in 1861, 2929 ; in 1871, 

 3161 ; in 1881, 2930 ; and in 1891, 2749. 



Geology. 



The eastern portion of the parish is on the chalk formation, 

 about two thousand acres being down land from 600ft. to 750ft. 

 above the sea-level. The town, with a considerable quantity of 

 land to the east and north, is on the lower or grey chalk. South 

 of the town the soil is Kimmeridge clay with occasional veins of 

 " white earth." 1 The hamlets of Zeals and Wolverton (now part 

 of Zeals) are ohiefly sand land. The Market Plaoe is 344ft. above 

 sea-level. 



Mills. 



At the foot of the chalk hills are numerous springs, which unite 

 near the town and are of sufficient volume to drive a moderate-sked 

 mill for grinding corn night and day without intermission ; and 

 further down the stream are two more mills in the parish, formerly 

 used for the same purpose but latterly giving motive power to two 

 factories, one for manufacturing flax, the other for spinning silk, 

 though both these industries are now dormant. Fifty years ago 



1 " White earth " is a chalky loam with an admixture of flint, apparently 

 denuded from the hills at a remote period. It was formerly generally used for 

 floors of cottages, etc. ; the Church was floored with it. 



