VII. Observations on the Vallies and Watercourses of Shropshire and 
of parts of the adjacent Counties . 
By ARTHUR AIKIN, Esq. f.l.s. 
MEMBER OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY, AMD SECRETARY TO THE 
SOCIETY OF ARTS. 
[Read May 1, 1818.] 
A Spectator standing on the high ground of Weston Point at 
the head of the estuary of the Mersey (and thus elevated about 300 
feet above the sea), if he directs his view to the south, will seem to 
have before him a wide and nearly flat valley bounded on the right by 
the hills on the Welch border, and on the left by those of DeJamere 
forest. At the end of the valley will be clearly seen, in usual states of 
the atmosphere, a group of hills considerably elevated and shutting up 
the view in that direction. This group, even without the assistance 
of the map, is easily recognized to be the Breiddin hills situated on 
the southern bank of the Severn, and marks the point where this 
river, having hitherto run from its source in a north-north-east direc- 
tion, begins to flow east, verging more and more to the south, till at 
length it falls into the Bristol channel 
The distance between Weston point and the Breiddin hills is almost 
44 miles, and as this tract separates the waters which run into the 
estuary of the Dee from those which run into the Bristol channel, it 
becomes an inquiry of some importance in the physical geography 
of England to ascertain its absolute height above the level of the 
Vol. V. 
K 
