XXVI. PAGE 241. Description p. 243.

Ruins of Walton Old Church-These interesting remains are situated north-west of the castle, and consist of the lower story of the tower, with the fine moulded archway which opened into the nave.

XXVII. PAGE 259. Description p. 226,

Font in Wraxall Church.-This font is capacious, and of the fifteenth century. The trefoiled panelling corresponds with that on the exterior of some of the seats.

XXVIII.-PAGE 260. Description p. 263.

Ionic Gateway and Lodge at Leigh Court.-These lead immediately into the demesne, and are situated one mile from Rownham Ferry; they are admired for their correct design.

XXIX. PAGE 277. Description p. 24.

Sculptured Stone Flower-pot.-Several of these ancient vases remain in the garden attached to Nailsea Manor House.

XXX.-PAGE 318. Description p. 35.

Congresbury Cross, standing upon five tiers of steps, in the centre of the street.

General Summary-Boundaries -Coast-Levels or Vales-Derivations of Names-Mendip Hills-Agricultural CultivationPublic Drainage--Parochial Churches--Norman VestigesManor and Court Houses--Antediluvian Relics--Camps and Ancient Roads.

THE following DESCRIPTIVE SKETCH embraces one of the most interesting portions of the county of Somerset, including the Hundreds of Winterstoke, Brent with Wrington, Portbury, and Hartcliffe with Bedminster; together with a few parishes in the Hundreds of Bempstone and

B

Chew. This district is equally gratifying to the lover of picturesque scenery, to the antiquary, and to the geologist ; for within its bounds are situated the ANTEDILUVIAN BONE CAVERNS at Banwell, Hutton, and Uphill; Cheddar Cliffs, and Brockley Combe; the monastic remains at Woodspring Priory and Worle; together with numerous ancient manor and court houses, and some of the most remarkable parochial churches in the kingdom. All these are within a moderate distance of Bristol, and still nearer to Weston-Super-Mare; a very improving watering place on the Bristol Channel, which attracts numerous visitors.

The boundary of the BRISTOL CHANNEL, or Severn Sea, on the western side of this district, commences at Burnham opposite to Stert Island, at the influx of the river Parret, extending along the flat beach of Bridgewater bay, and its barrier of sand hills; thence by the village of Berrow to its northern point, where the coast is elevated into the lofty promontory of Brean Down, extending into the sea, and forming one of its most conspicuous headlands. Nearly opposite to Brean Down, west-ward, is the Steep Holm, and more to the north the Flat Holm ; on the east are the remarkable hill and village of Uphill, at the conjunction of the river Axe with the Bristol Channel. Northward from Brean Down, is the Bay of Weston, with a fine sandy beach, two miles in length, to Anchor Head; and beyond Weston, at the western extremity of Worle Hill, is another vast rocky eminence, forming a most remarkable object by sea and land. Northward from this hill, is Kewstoke Bay, terminated by Sand Point and St. Thomas's Head, the lofty and conspicuous boundary of the demesne of the Priory of Woodspring.

From this point the coast is low as far as Clevedon, where it again exhibits rocks of considerable grandeur, which continue without much interruption to Portishead, the last promontory northward, and remarkable for its picturesque character. Hence the coast declines to KingRoad, where the river Avon empties itself into the Bristol

channel; the course of this river forms the northern boundary of Somersetshire, as far as the city of Bristol; and few rivers can boast more beautiful scenery, than is to be seen on its woody banks.

Within the sand hills which now bound the waters on this coast, are the rich and extensive Levels of BRENT, WESTON, YATTON, and BANWELL, over the whole of which, in early ages, the waters of the channel flowed; extending, according to tradition, as far westward as Long Ashton, and to Glastonbury and Somerton on the south; some evident vestiges of which are left behind, not only in marine plants, shells, and fossils, but in the names of places : that of Banwell, for instance, being probably derived from its ancient British designation, Banawelli, compounded of Bann deep, and Welgi sea, though the town is now eight miles from the coast. Yatton is an equally striking instance; its old name of Jatone, from the Saxon, signifying the Town port, this place having formed an entrance or port to the channel, which then extended over these vallies.

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The sea, from the formation of sand hills and other natural causes, gradually ceased to overflow these districts but even at so late a period as the year 1304, the 33rd of Edward I. it was found necessary to check its destructive inroads by the formation of sea-walls, dykes, drains, &c. for the security and improvement of the several levels.*

These rich and extensive levels or vales are divided by portions of the MENDIP range of hills, which runs in a south-westerly direction across the county; this was formerly well covered with timber, and plentifully stocked with deer, but now presents a rocky barren aspect.Several parts of this range abound in valuable minerals,

*Notwithstanding these precautions, the waters of the channel occasionally burst their bounds, especially in 1606, in which year was a remarkable flood, occasioned by a high spring tide, assisted by a strong wind. The waters of the channel broke over the sea-walls and inundated the flat lands to a wide extent,

the principal of which are lead, lapis calaminaris, manganese, and yellow ochre, which are found in veins, in banks, and in fissures of the rock.

The ascent on the north-eastern side of the Mendip hills is more gentle, and allows of more extensive cultivation; and the table-land of the interior has been many years inclosed, and much of it converted to arable land.. The climate, however, is cold and moist, being subject to fogs and mists, which, in unfavourable seasons, impede a perfect ripening of the grain.

On the agricultural cultivation of this district of Somersetshire, we do not profess to enter into a minute detail. The low lands, mostly of alluvial soil, are noted for their richness and fertility.* But the principal attention in this division of the county, is paid to the management of the grass land. The meadows are generally laid out in ridges, a few yards wide, inclining to a convex form, with intervening narrow drains, the occasional cleaning out of which produces a valuable supply of rich manure, after being digested in heaps. The meadows are separated by wider and deeper ditches, which, ultimately communicating with the public drainage, prevent superfluous water from remaining on the surface of the ground, and in dry seasons, by shutting the flood gates, a sufficient supply is retained for the use of the cattle and moisture of the land.

The public drainage of the fertile and valuable Levels is subject to the direction of a body of commissioners, who hold their sessions of Water Sewers at stated periods, under the authority of an Act of Parliament, at Wells, Axbridge, and Congresbury. At these courts, reports are received from the juries of the several parishes connected with the districts, through which flow the rivers Brue, Axe, and Yeo. The commissioners are empowered to inflict heavy penalties on persons neglecting to perform their stated duty on the drainage, and from their sentence there is no appeal.

In the parishes of Burnham, Hunts-pill, and Mark, are pieces of land which have borne crops of wheat, year after year, without any manure, for twenty years together, and produce, even now, remarkably heavy crops.