For Example,
I Think They Tell Us There Are Three-And-Fifty Ancient Encampments
Or Fortifications To Be Seen In
This one county--some whereof are
exceeding plain to be seen; some of one form, some of another; some
of
One nation, some of another--British, Danish, Saxon, Roman--as
at Ebb Down, Burywood, Oldburgh Hill, Cummerford, Roundway Down,
St. Ann's Hill, Bratton Castle, Clay Hill, Stournton Park,
Whitecole Hill, Battlebury, Scrathbury, Tanesbury, Frippsbury,
Southbury Hill, Amesbury, Great Bodwin, Easterley, Merdon, Aubery,
Martenscil Hill, Barbury Castle, and many more.
Also the barrows, as we all agree to call them, are very many in
number in this county, and very obvious, having suffered very
little decay. These are large hillocks of earth cast up, as the
ancients agree, by the soldiers over the bodies of their dead
comrades slain in battle; several hundreds of these are to be seen,
especially in the north part of this county, about Marlborough and
the downs, from thence to St. Ann's Hill, and even every way the
downs are full of them.
I have done with matters of antiquity for this county, unless you
will admit me to mention the famous Parliament in the reign of
Henry II. held at Clarendon, where I am now writing, and another
intended to be held there in Richard II.'s time, but prevented by
the barons, being then up in arms against the king.
Near this place, at Farlo, was the birthplace of the late Sir
Stephen Fox, and where the town, sharing in his good fortune, shows
several marks of his bounty, as particularly the building a new
church from the foundation, and getting an Act of Parliament passed
for making it parochial, it being but a chapel-of-ease before to an
adjoining parish. Also Sir Stephen built and endowed an almshouse
here for six poor women, with a master and a free school. The
master is to be a clergyman, and to officiate in the church--that
is to say, is to have the living, which, including the school, is
very sufficient.
I am now to pursue my first design, and shall take the west part of
Wiltshire in my return, where are several things still to be taken
notice of, and some very well worth our stay. In the meantime I
went on to Langborough, a fine seat of my Lord Colerain, which is
very well kept, though the family, it seems, is not much in this
country, having another estate and dwelling at Tottenham High
Cross, near London.
From hence in my way to the seaside I came to New Forest, of which
I have said something already with relation to the great extent of
ground which lies waste, and in which there is so great a quantity
of large timber, as I have spoken of already.
This waste and wild part of the country was, as some record, laid
open and waste for a forest and for game by that violent tyrant
William the Conqueror, and for which purpose he unpeopled the
country, pulled down the houses, and, which was worse, the churches
of several parishes or towns, and of abundance of villages, turning
the poor people out of their habitations and possessions, and
laying all open for his deer.
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