II.] 
OF SELBORNE. 
465 
a variety of words in liasbaiidry and common life, still subsist- 
ing among the country people. 
What probably first drew the attention of the Saxons to this 
spot was the beautiful spring or fountain called Well-head/ 
which induced them to build by the banks of that perennial 
current ; for ancient settlers loved to reside Ijy brooks and 
rivulets, where they could dip for their water without the 
trouble and expense of digging wells and of drawing. 
It remains still unsettled among the antiquaries at what time 
tracts of land were first appropriated to the chase alone for tlie 
amusement of the sovereign. Whether our Saxon monarchs 
had any royal forests does not, I believe, appear on record ; 
but the Constitutioncs de Forcstct of Canute, the Dane, are come 
down to us. We shall not therefore pretend to say whether 
Wolmer Forest existed as a royal domain before the conquest. 
If it did not, we may suppose it was laid out by some of our 
earliest Korman kings, who were exceedingly attached to the 
pleasures of the chase, and resided much at Winchester, which 
lies at a moderate distance from this district. The Plantagenet 
princes seem to have been pleased with Wolmer ; for tradition 
says that King John resided just upon the verge, at Wardleham, 
on a regular and remarkable mount, still called Kiug John's 
Hill, and Lodge Hill; and Edward III. had a chapel in his 
park, or inclosure, at Kingsley.^ Humphrey, Duke of Glou- 
cester, and Kichard, Duke of York, say my evidences, were both, 
in their turns, wardens of Wolmer Eorest ; which seems to have 
served for an appointment for the younger princes of the royal 
family, as it may again. 
I have intentionally menti(jned Edward III. and the Dukes 
Humphrey and Kichard before King Edward II., because I 
have reserved for the entertainment of my readers a pleasant 
frequent a farmer's kitchen. I have therefore selected some words to sh(jw 
how familiar the Saxon dialect was to this district, since in more than seven 
hundred years it is far from being obliterated. 
^ IVcU-Iwad signifies sprituj-head, and not a dee]) pit from whence we draw 
water. — For particulars about which see Letter I. to Mr. Pennant. 
2 The parish of Kingsley lies between, and divides AVolmer Forest from 
Ayles Holt Forest.— See Letter IX. to Mr. Pennant. 
J] 11 
