gar for Nuns of the Benedictine Order) were buried King Edward and his Son Alfred. Alresford, 60 M. from Lond. ftands in the Road betwixt Lond. and Winchefter, on the Banks of the River Alre. Part of a Roman High-way, that goes from this Part to Alton and Lond. ferves for the Head of a great Pond near this Town. Basingstoke, 48 M. from Lond. on the N. Side of the Shire, is a large populous Place, and has a good Market for all Sorts of Corn, especially Barley, there being a great Malt Trade carried on here. A Brook runs by it, famous for Plenty of Trout, and the adjacent Soil is rich in Pasture, and furrounded with Woods. The History of the Apostles is artificially defcribed on the Roof of the Chapel. Odiam, 8 M. N. E. of Basing-fioke, 41 M. from Lond. is a small corporate Town. Silchefter, on the Borders of Berkshire, is famous for its Antiquity; being the Ruins of the ancient City Vindemia or Vindonum, faid to have been built by Conftantine, -the Son of Conftantine the Great, and that he fow'd Corn in the Track of the Walls, as an Omen of their Perpetuity; but now, befides one Farm House, a Church, and Part of the old Roman Way, fcarce any Veftige remains. King's-clere, 5 M. from Newbery, 52 from Lond. a pleasant Town, remarkable for having been the Refidence of the Saxon Kings. Antiquities of Hampshire. Netley-Abbey, near Southampton, was founded in the Year 1239, by Henry III. for Ciftercian Monks. Great Part of this large Structure is now in Ruins. Titchfield Abbey, founded by Peter de Rupibus, Bishop of Winchester, in the Reign of Henry III. for Premonftratenfion Canons, was once a noble Structure. Porchefter-Cafle, is the Remains of the Walls and Fortifications of a very ancient and famous Town, called Port Peris, to which the Name of Portchefter was af D 3 terwards terwards given. This is fuppofed to be the Place where the Emperor Vefpafian landed. ISLE OF WIGHT S of an elliptical Form, 22 Miles in Length, 12 in Breadth, and 60 in Circumference. It is divided into 29 Parishes. The Air is univerfally efteemed to be as pure and healthful as any in the Kingdom, and the Soil fo rich, that it produces Corn enough in one Year to ferve it feven. Through the Middle of the Ifland runs a Ridge of lofty Hills, which not only afford plentiful Pafture, but a delightful Profpect of the Sea. The Vales below, confift of Meadow and ftately Corn Fields; nor is the Coast destitute of natural Curiofities; here is excellent Fish of various Kinds. The Extremities of the Coaft on the S. and W. Sides are very rocky; and Weftward, not far from the Shore, are the Needles, fo called from their Sharpness. Farther to the Southward are the Shingles; at both which Places the Inland is inacceffible and where it is almost level, as it is towards the S. E. it is fortified by Art. : Newport, the principal Town in the Island, about 5 M. from Cowes, is a very antient Borough, and a large populous Town, greatly enriched by its Plenty and Commerce, which the Inhabitants have not failed to improve. The Genius of the People is very much turned that Way, and as they are of late grown very polite, they have, at a prodigious Expence, levelled and new pitched the Town; pofted and paved it with broad Stone, about 5 Feet from the Houfes, for Paffengers; for being the only Market Town, it is often very much crowded, the Corn being generally brought to Market and not fold by Sample. Cowes River is navigable by Barges to Newport Key, which extends itself round good Part of the Town, which renders their shipping off Goods from the Storehouses very commodious: The Streets are regular and uniform, meeting at right Angles. The Corn, Beaft, and Butter Markets are kept in diftinct Squares, very large and commodious. The Buildings Buildings are greatly improved, but neither grand nor regular. The Church is a large Building, with a square Tower, and the Inhabitants have lately erected a very curious Organ, and otherwife greatly decorated it: Yet this Church is but a Chapel of Eafe to Carisbrook, a small Village fituated on a very lofty Eminence, about a M. from Newport, and is famous for a Caftle, now greatly decayed by Time; but the Intrenchment without the Walls, the many Curiofities within, and the extensive Profpect it affords, render it one of the greateft Curiofities in the Ifland. Here King Charles I. was confined 'till removed to Hurst Castle. About two Miles from Newport, near St. George's Down, are large Rocks, from whence Water continually drops; in the Road to which is Shidebridge a remarkable pleasant Walk, and famous for a conftant Spring of prodigiously fine Water. Belides Newport there are two other Boroughs, viz. Yarmouth and Newtown, the latter the most ancient, but at prefent only a fmall Place. Yarmouth, 7 M. from Newport, oppofite to Lymington, is a Place for Fishermen, and where Veffels fometimes put in, when the Weather won't permit them to fail by the Needles. Cowes is a remarkable Port and Harbour, at the Mouth of Newport. There is lately a fine large Saltern erected at W. Cowes; and at E. Cowes, Ships of pretty large Burthen are built. The former has a Caftle built by Hen. VIII. St. Hellens lies at the E. End of the Ifland, 12 M. from Newport. It is only remarkable for its Road, which is large enough to contain the whole Navy of England. Freshwater is a fmall Village, io M. from Newport, famous for its Cliffs, which are of a ftupendous Height, and often vifited by Strangers, on account of the great Number of exotic Birds, which annually resort to these Cliffs to lay their Eggs, hatch, and breed their Young. Seats of the Nobility and Gentry. Beaulieu, in the new Duke of Montague.. Foreft, belonging to the late Hawkwood and Bafinghoufe, both near Bafing floke; and Abbotton near Alton, all belonging to the Duke of Belton. Rockbourn-house, 15 M. from Southampton, E. of Shaftesbury's. Farnborough-place, fix M. from Odeham, belonging to the Earl of Anglefea. Beavis-mount, near Southampton. Hufbands, near Andover, belonging to the E. of Portf mouth, who has alfo a new built Seat at Farley-Wallops near Bafing floke. Whorewell, near Andover, belonging to the E. of Delaware. Lady-bolt, five M. from Petersfield, belonging to Caryl, Efq; Grange, near Alresford, belonging to Lord Henley. Edefworth, 10 M. from Portsmouth, Lord Dormer's. Stratfieldfea, near Silchester belonging to Efq; Pitt, Titherly, near Wallop, belonging to the Rolles Family, Southwick, 5 M. from Portsmouth, Richard Norton, Efq; Quarley, on the E. Side of a Hill of the fame Name, where there are Trenches and other Veftiges of san ancient Fortification; belonging to Henry Hoare, Efq; Grately, on the South Side of the fame Hill, belong ing to Henry Earle, Efq; Mappledurham near Petersfield, the Seat of Rt. Hon. Henry Bilfon Legge, Efq; the Titchfield-place near Titchfield, belonging to the Duke of Portland. The Vine, near Bafing ftoke, Mr. Chute. Seats in the Isle of Wight. Appledurcomb, 6 M. from Newport; belonging to Sin Robert Worley, Bart. King fton, near St. Hellen's belonging to Lady Meaux. Sir William Oglander's at Nunwell; and Mr. Knight's at Brading. A Seat A Seat belonging to Holms Efq; at Yarmouth; Grimes Efq; at Newchurch. and another to --- BERKSHIRE S bounded on the S. by Hampshire; on the W. by Wiltshire; on the N. by the Thames, which divides it from the Counties of Buckingham and Oxford; and on the E. by Surry. It is about 39 M. long, 29 broad, and 120 in Circumference; contains four parliamentary Boroughs, 20 Hundreds, 12 Market Towns, 140 Parishes, and 671 Villages. The Soil is very fertile, where cultivated, and the whole County, one of the most pleasant in Engl. is well ftored with Cattle and Timber. Its principal Rivers are the Thames and the Kennet the former flows on the N. Side, and the latter on the S. Its chief Manufactures are Woollencloth, Sail-cloth, and Malt.. The Parliamentary Boroughs are, 1. Windfor, 24 M. from Lond. on the River Thames, a very ancient Town, and confifts of feveral good Streets, with a handfome Town Hall. The Parish Church is a large, but inelegant Stucture. William the Conqueror, charmed with the fine Situation of Windfor, built a Castle here: Henry I. rebuilt and fortified it. Queen Eleanor, Wife to Edward J. fo greatly delighted in this Palace, that fhe had four Children here: Edward III. who was born here, enlarged and beautified it; built the royal Palace and Chapel, together with St. George's Hall and its Chapel, and instituted here the Order of the Garter. Queen Elizabeth added the noble Terrace, faced with Free-Stone Ramparts, like thofe of a fortified City, which is fcarce to be equalled in Europe. King Charles II. laid out great Sums in repairing, new modelling, and furnishing this Palace; and there is a fine equeftrian Statue of him, erected in 1680 over a great Well in the inner Court. D 5 King |