WARWICKSHIHE STOUR VALLEY AND ITS FLORA. 
27 
used. So that to work this district long walks have to be 
taken, and thus much time is lost in getting from one part of 
the district to another. 
Position of the District and Boundaries. 
The Stour Valley lies south-west of the Edge Hills and 
north of Bright Hill, a narrow tongue of it running north of 
Ilmington to a few miles S.W. of Stratford-on-Avon. Its 
geographical position is 51° 58' 20" to 52° 9' 50" north latitude, 
and 1° 44' 5" to 1° 50' 0" west longitude. It is bounded on 
the south by the high road running over Bright Hill to 
Chipping Campden—this includes some of the outlying portions 
of Worcester and Gloncestershires; on the west by the 
elevated land about Ilmington, Preston-on-Stour, Atherstone- 
on-Stour, and a line from the latter village to the Avon, just 
below Milecote ; on the north partly by the Shipston Road 
from Stratford-on-Avon, to near Upthorpe Bridge, thence by 
the lane to Upper Eatington, and from this point by the high 
road from Eatington to the high road to Lower Tysoe ; on the 
east by Tysoe Hill and the highway from Over Tysoe, over 
Traitors’ Ford to Bright Hill. The total length of the district 
is about 17J miles ; its breadth in the widest part about 10J 
miles. This, however, includes a portion of Worcester and 
Grloucestershires, which has not been included in my notes. 
Tbe acreage of the Warwickshire portion of the district is 
some 46,000 acres. 
Elevations. 
The Stour Valley is surrounded on all sides by hills and 
elevated land, but the elevations are in no instance sufficiently 
great to influence the flora. Taking our stand upon the 
southern boundary of the district, Bright Hill, we may from 
this point get a more general view of the physical features of 
the district than possibly from any other point. Here, at the 
highest point, we get an elevation of 727 feet above sea level. 
Close to hand are the famous Rollright Stones, which are 
probably Druidical remains, but of which legend informs us 
that long, long ago, a Danish prince, consulting an oracle 
before invading this country, received the assurance— 
“ When Long Compton you shall see 
You shall King of England be.” 
The landing was effected, and the invading force had almost 
reached the goal of their desires, when the prince, stepping 
forward to catch a glimpse of Long Compton, was, by a 
