MISCELLANY No 60
Extract from Holinshed’s Chronicles(1577)
Raphael Holinshed (1529-1580) describes the villages,
towns and counties around London, methodically travelling by the obvious route
(for the 1570s): along the River Thames.
As I began
at the Thames in my description of Ilands, so will I now doo the like with that
of famous riuers; making mine entrie at the said riuer it selfe, of whose
founteine some men make as much adoo, as in time past of the true head of
Nilus, which, till of late (if it be yet descried) was neuer found: or the
Tanais, whose originall was neuer knowne, nor shall be: for whilest one placeth
it here, another there; there are none at all that deale with it exactlie.
Wherefore leaning to such mens writings as haue of set purpose sought out the
spring of the Thames; I affirme that this famous streame hath his head or
beginning out of the side of an hill, standing in the plaines of Cotswold,
about one mile from Tetburie, néere vnto the Fosse (an high waie so called of
old) where it was sometime named Isis, or the Ouse, although diuerse doo
ignorantlie call it the Thames euen there, rather of a foolish custome than
anie skill, bicause they either neglect or vtterlie are ignorant how it was
named at the first. From hence it runneth directlie toward the east (as all
good riuers should) and Corinium. méeteth with the
Cirne or Churne, (a brooke called in Latine Corinium) whereof Cirncester towne
(by which it commeth) doth take the denomination.
From hence
it hasteth vnto Créekelade, aliàs Crekanford, Lechlade, Radcotebridge,
Newbridge, and Eouesham, receiuing by the waie an infinit sort of small
streames, brookes, beckes, waters, and rundels: and here on this side of the
towne diuideth it selfe into two courses, of which the one goeth straight to
Botleie and Hinkseie, the other by Godstow, a village not farre off. This
latter spreadeth it selfe also for a while into sundrie smaller branches, which
run not farre yer they be reunited, and then beclipping sundrie pleasant
meadowes, it passeth at length by Oxford, of some supposed rather to be called
Ouseford of this riuer, Charwell. where it meeteth
with the Charwell, and a litle from whence the originall branches doo ioine and
go togither by Abbandune (aliàs Sensham or Abington as we call it) although no
part of it at the first came so néere the towne as it doth now, till a branch
thereof was led thither Some write, that the maine streame
was brought thither from which ranne before betweene Andredeseie and Culenham.
the maine streame, thorough the industrie of the moonks, as (beside the
testimonie of old records thereof yet extant to be séene) by the decaie of Cair
Dour, now Dorchester it selfe, sometime the throughfare from Wales and the west
countrie to London, which insued vpon this fact, is easie to be seene. From
hence it goeth to Dorchester, and so to Thame, where ioining with a riuer of
the same denomination, it looseth the name of Isis or Ouse (whereof Ouseneie at
Oxford is producted) and from thenceforth is called Thamesis. From Thame it
goeth to Wallingford, and so to Reding, Pontium.
which in time past, of the number of bridges there, was called Pontium; albeit
that the English name doth rather proceed from Rhe, or Ree, the Saint Marie ouer Rhee. Saxon word for a water-course or
riuer; which maie be séene in Ouerée, or Sutherée, for ouer the Ree, or south
of the Rhee, as to the skilfull doth readilie appéere; yet some hold (and not
altogither against probabilitie and likelihood) that the word Sutherée is so
called of Sudrijc, to wit, the south kingdome, wherevnto in part the Thames is
a bound. But that holdeth not in denomination, either of the said church or
name of the foresaid countie. Other affirme likewise, that Reding is so called
of the Greeke word (ῥεω) which is to
ouerflowe. Certes, as neither of these coniectures are to be contemned, so the
last [Page 80] cōmeth most neere to
mine aid, who affirme, that not onelie the course of euerie water it selfe, but
also his ouerflowing was in time past called Rhe, by such Saxons as inhabited
in this Iland: and euen to this daie in Essex I haue oft obserued, that when
the lower grounds by rage of water haue béene ouerflowen, the people beholding
the same, haue said; All is on a Rhe, as if they should haue said; All is now a
riuer, albeit the word Riuer be deriued from the French, and borrowed by them
from the Latins, but not without corruption, as it was brought vnto them. I
will not here giue notice how farre they are deceiued, which call the aforesaid
church by the name of S. Marie Auderies, or S. Marie ouer Isis, or Ise: but I
will procéed with the course of this noble streame, which, howsoeuer these
matters stand after it hath passed by Kenet.
Reding, & there receiued the Kenet, which commeth from the hilles that Thetis. lie west of Marleborough (& then the Thetis,
commonlie called the Tide that commeth from Thetisford) hieth to Sudlington
otherwise called Maidenhead, and so to Windleshore (or Windsore) Eaton, and
then to Chertseie, where Erkenwald bishop of London sometime builded a
religious house or cell, as I doo read.
From
Chertseie it hasteth directlie vnto Stanes, and receiuing an other Cole. streame by the waie, called the Cole (wherevpon
Colbrooke standeth) it goeth by Kingstone, Shene, Sion and Brentford or
Bregentford, where it méeteth the Brane or the Brene (another brooke descending
from Edgworth) whose name signifieth a frog, in the Brittish speach. Vpon this
also sir John Thin had sometime a statelie house, with a maruellous prouision to
inclose and reteine such fish as should come about the same. From Brene. Brentfoord it passeth by Mortlach, Putneie,
Fulham, Batterseie, Chelseie, Lambeth, and so to London. Finallie going from
thence vnto the sea, it taketh the Lée with it by the waie vpon the coast of
Essex, and Darwent. another that commeth from
Abreche not far off, and the Darnt vpon Kent side, which riseth néere to
Tanrige, and commeth by Shoreham, vnto Craie.
Derntford, wherevnto the Craie falleth. And last of all the Medwaie a notable
riuer (in mine opinion) which watereth all the south and southwest part of
Kent, and whose description shall insue.
Hauing in
this maner bréefelie touched this noble riuer, and such brookes as fall into
the same; I will now adde a particular description of each of these last by
themselues, whereby their courses also shall be seuerallie described to the
satisfaction of the studious. But yer I take the same in hand, I will insert a
word or two of the commodities of the said riuer, which I will performe with so
much breuitie as is possible. Héereby also finding out his whole tract and
course from the head to the fall thereof into the sea. It appeareth euidentlie
that the length thereof is at the least, one hundreth and eightie miles, if it
be measured by the iourneies of the land. And as it is in course, the longest
of the thrée famous riuers of this Ile, so it is nothing inferiour vnto them in
aboundance of all kind of fish, whereof it is hard to saie, which of the three
haue either most plentie, or greatest varietie, if the circumstances be duelie
weighed. What some other write of the riuers of their countries it skilleth
not, neither will I (as diuerse doo) inuent strange things of this noble
streame, therewith to nobilitate and make it more honorable: but this will I in
plaine termes affirme, that it neither swalloweth vp bastards of the Celtish
brood, or casteth vp the right begotten that are throwne in without hurt into
their mothers lap, as Politian fableth of the Rhene, Epistolarum lib. 8. epi.
6. nor yéeldeth clots of gold as the Tagus dooth: but an infinit plentie of
excellent, swéet and pleasant fish, wherewith such as inhabit néere vnto hir
bankes are fed and fullie nourished.
Salmons.
What should I speake of the fat and swéet salmons, dailie taken in this
streame, and that in such plentie (after the time of the smelt be past) as no
riuer in Europa is able to excéed it. What store also of barbels, trouts,
cheuins, pearches, smelts, breames, roches, daces, gudgings, flounders,
shrimps, &c: are commonlie to be had therein, I refer me to them that know
by experience better than I, by reason of their dailie trade of fishing in the
same. And albeit it seemeth from time to time, to be as it were defrauded in
sundrie wise of these hir large commodities, by the insatiable auarice of the
fishermen, yet this famous riuer complaineth commonlie of no want, but the more
it looseth at one time, the more it yéeldeth at another. Onelie in carps it
séemeth to be [Page 81] Carps a fish late brought into England and later into the
Thames. scant, sith it is not long since that kind of fish was brought
ouer into England, and but of late to speake of into this streame, by the
violent rage of sundrie landflouds, that brake open the heads and dams of
diuers gentlemens ponds, by which means it became somewhat partaker also of
this said commoditie, whereof earst it had no portion that I could euer heare.
Oh that this riuer might be spared but euen one yeare from nets, &c! But
alas then should manie a poore man be vndoone. In the meane time it is
lamentable to see, how it is and hath béene choked of late with sands and
shelues, through the penning and wresting of the course of the water for
commodities sake. But as this is an inconuenience easilie remedied, if good
order were taken for the redresse thereof: so now, the fine or prise set vpon
the ballasse sometime freelie giuen to the merchants by patent, euen vnto the
lands end (Iusques au poinct) will be another cause of harme vnto this noble
streame, and all through an aduantage taken at the want of an (i) in the word
ponct: which grew through an error committed by an English notarie vnskilfull
in the French toong, wherein that patent was granted.
Furthermore,
the said riuer floweth and filleth all his chanels twise in the daie and night,
that is in euerie twelue houres once; and this ebbing & flowing, holdeth on
for the space of seauentie miles, within the maine land: the streame or tide
being alwaies highest at London, when the moone dooth exactlie touch the
northeast and south or west points of the heauens, of which one is visible, the
other vnder the earth, and not subiect to our sight. These tides also differ in
their times, each one comming latter than other, by so manie minuts as passe
yer the reuolution and naturall course of the heauens doo reduce, and bring
about the said planet vnto those hir former places: whereby the 36 The iust distāce betwéene one tide and another. common
difference betwéene one tide and another, is found to consist of twentie foure
minuts, which wanteth but twelue of an whole houre in foure and twentie, as
experience dooth confirme. In like sort we sée by dailie triall, that each tide
is not of equall heigth and greatnesse: for at the full and change of the moone
we haue the greatest flouds, and such is their ordinarie course, that as they
diminish from their changes and fuls, vnto the first and last quarters; so
afterwards they increase againe, vntill they come to the full and change.
Sometimes also they rise so high (if the wind be at the north or northeast,
which bringeth in the water with more vehemencie, bicause the tide which
filleth the chanell, commeth from Scotland ward) that the Thames ouerfloweth
hir banks néere vnto London: which hapneth especiallie in the fuls and changes
of Januarie and Februarie, wherein the lower grounds are of custome soonest
drowned. This order of flowing in like sort is perpetuall, so that when the
moone is vpon the southwest and north of points, then is the water by London at
the highest: neither doo the tides alter, except some rough winds out of the
west or southwest doo The streame oft checked in hir
entrance into the land. kéepe backe and checke the streame in his
entrance, as the east and northeast do hasten the comming in thereof, or else
some other extraordinarie occasion, put by the ordinarie course of the
northerne seas, which fill the said riuer by their naturall returne and
flowing. And that both these doo happen eft among, I refer me to such as haue
not sildome obserued it, as also the sensible chopping in of thrée or foure
tides in one naturall daie, wherof the vnskilfull doo descant manie things.
But how so
euer these small matters doo fall out, and how often soeuer this course of the
streame doth happen to be disturbed; yet at two seuerall times of the age of
the moone, the waters returne to their naturall course and limits of time
exactlie. Polydore saith, that this riuer is seldome increased or rather neuer
ouerfloweth hir banks by landflouds: but he is herein verie much deceiued, as
it shalbe more apparentlie séene hereafter. For the more that this riuer is put
by of hir right course, the more the water must of necessitie swell with the
white waters which run downe from the land: bicause the passage cannot be so
swift and readie in the winding as in the streight course. These landflouds
also doo greatlie straine the finesse of the streame, in so much that after a
great landfloud, you shall take haddocks with your hands beneath the bridge, as
they flote aloft vpon the water, whose eies are so blinded with the thicknesse
of that element, that they cannot see [Page
82] where to become, and make shift to saue themselues before death take
hold of them. Otherwise the water of it selfe is verie cléere, and in
comparison next vnto that of the sea, which is most subtile and pure of all
other; as that of great riuers is most excellent, in comparison of smaller
brookes: although Aristotle will haue the salt water to be most grosse, bicause
a ship will beare a greater burden on the sea than on the fresh water; and an eg
sinke in this that swimmeth on the other. But he may easilie be answered by the
quantitie of roome and aboundance of waters in the sea; whereby it becommeth of
more force to susteine such vessels as are committed to the same, and whervnto
the greatest riuers (God wot) are nothing comparable. I would here make mention
of sundrie London bridge. bridges placed ouer this
noble streame, of which that of London is most chieflie to be commended, for it
is in maner a cōtinuall street, well replenished with large and statelie houses
on both sides, and situat vpon twentie arches, whereof ech one is made of
excellent free squared stone, euerie of them being thréescore foot in height,
and full twentie in distance one from another, as I haue often viewed.
In like
maner I could intreat of the infinit number of swans dailie to be séene 2000 boates vpon the Thames and 3000 poore mē mainteined by the
same whose gaines come in most plentifullie in the tearme time. vpon
this riuer, the two thousand wherries and small boats, wherby three thousand
poore watermen are mainteined, through the cariage and recariage of such
persons as passe or repasse, from time to time vpon the same: beside those huge
tideboats, tiltbotes, and barges, which either carrie passengers, or bring
necessarie prouision from all quarters of Oxfordshire, Barkeshire,
Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Herfordshire, Midlesex, Essex, Surrie, and Kent,
vnto the citie of London. But for somuch as these things are to be repeated
againe in the particular description of London, annexed to his card; I
surceasse at this time to speake anie more of them here, as not lingering but
hasting to performe my promise made euen now, not yet forgotten, and in
performance whereof I thinke it best to resume the description of this noble riuer
againe into my hands, and in adding whatsoeuer is before omitted, to deliuer a
full and perfect demonstration of his course. How and where the said streame
ariseth, is alreadie & with sufficiencie set downe, noting the place to be
within a mile of Tetburie, whereof some doo vtterlie mislike, bicause that rill
in summer drouths is oft so drie, that there is little or no water at all séene
running aboue ground in the same. Isis. For this
cause therefore manie affirme the verie head of Isis to come from the poole
aboue Kemble. Other confound it with the head of the Cirne or Chirne, called in
Latine Corinium that riseth aboue Coberleie. For my part I follow Leland, as he
dooth the moonke of Malmesburie, which wrote the historie intituled Eulogium
historiarum, who searched the same of set purpose, and pronounced with Leland,
although at this present that course be verie small, and choked vp (as I heare)
with grauell and sand. Procéeding therefore from the head, it first of all Couus. receiueth the Kemble water called the Coue, which
riseth aboue Kemble towne, goeth by Kemble it selfe vnto Poole and Somerford,
and then (accompanieth the Thames) vnto Canes, Ashton, Canes, and Howston,
holding on in one chanell vntill they méet with the Chirne, the next of all to
be described.
Corinium.
The Chirne is a faire water arising out of the ground aboue Coberleie, from
whence it runneth to Cowleie, Cowlesburne, Randcome, and so into the Isis on
the left side aboue Crekelade. These thrée waters being thus vnited and brought
into one chanell, within a little space of the head of Isis, it runneth on by
Crekelade, beneath which towne it receiueth Rhe.
the Rhe, descending from Elcombe, Escot, Redburne, Widhill, & at the fall
into Isis, or not far off ioineth with another that runneth west of Purton by
Braden forrest, &c. Next of all our Isis méeteth with the Amneie. Amneie on the left hand, which comming from aboue
Holie roode Amneie, runneth by Downe Amneie, and finallie into the Isis a
little aboue Iseie. In like sort I read of another that méeteth withall on the
right hand aboue Iseie also, which so far as I can call to remembrance, commeth
from about Drifield and falleth so into our Isis, that they run as one vntill
they come at the Colne, although not so nakedlie and without helpe, but that in
this voiage, the maine streame dooth crosse one water that descendeth from
Swindon, and going also by Stratton [Page
83] toward Seuingham, is it selfe increased with two rils by the waie,
whereof one commeth from Liddenton by Wambreie, as I haue béene informed.
Colneius, Colineus, or Colunus. The Colne is a faire riuer rising by north neere to
Witchington, & from thence goeth to Shiptons, Compton Abdale, Wittenton,
Parneworth, Colne Deanes, and Colne Rogers, Winston, Biberie, Colne Alens,
Quenington, Faireford, and west of Lachelade into the riuer Isis, which
hereabout on the southside also taketh in another, whereof I find this
remembrance. The Isis being once past Seuingham, crosseth a brooke from
southest that mounteth about Ashbirie, and receiuing a rill from bywest (that
commeth from Hinton) beneath Shrineham, it afterward so diuideth it selfe, that
the armes therof include Inglesham, and by reason that it falleth into the Isis
at two seuerall places, there is a plesant Iland producted, whereof let this
suffice.
Being past
Lechelade a mile,Lecusor Leche. it runneth to saint
Johns bridge, & thereabout méeteth with the Leche on the left hand. This
brooke, whereof Lechlade taketh the name (a towne wherevnto one péece of an old
vniuersitie is ascribed, which it did neuer possesse, more than Crekelade did
the other) riseth east of Hampnet, frō whence it goeth to north Lech, Estenton,
Anlesworth, east Lech, south Thorpe, Farendon, & so into the Isis. From
hence this famous water goeth by Kenskot toward Radcote bridge (taking in the
rill that riseth in an od péece of Barkeshire, and runneth by Langford) and
being past the said bridge (now notable through a conspiracie made there
sometimes by sundrie barons against the estate) it is not long yer it crosse
two other waters, both of them descending from another od parcell of the said
countie, whereof I haue this note giuen me for my further information. There
are two fals of water into Isis beneath Radcote bridge, wherof the one commeth
from Shilton in Barkeshire by Arescote, blacke Burton and Clarrefield. The
other also riseth in the same péece, and runneth by Brisenorton vnto Bampton,
and there receiuing an armelet from the first that breake off at blacke Burton,
it is not long yer they fall into Isis, and leaue a pretie Iland. After these
confluences, the maine course of Winrush. the
streame hasteth by Shifford to Newbridge, where it ioineth with the Winrush.
The Winrush riseth aboue Shieburne in Glocestershire, from whence it goeth to
Winrush, & cōming by Barrington, Burford, Widbrooke, Swinbecke castell,
Witneie, Duckington, Cockthorpe, Stanlake, it méeteth with the Isis west by
south of Northmore. From hence it goeth beneath Stanton, Hartingcourt and
Ensham, betwéene which and Cassinton, Briwerus. it
receiueth (as Leland calleth it) the Bruerne water.
It riseth
aboue Limington, and going to Norton in the Marsh, and through a patch of
Worcestershire vnto Euenlode, betweene it and the foure Comus.
shirestones, it taketh in a rill called Come, comming by the long and the
little Comptons. After this also it goeth by Bradwell, Odington, and Rolrich. so to Bleddenton, aboue which towne it taketh in
the Rolrich water that issueth at two heads, in the hils that lie by west of
little Rolrich, and ioine aboue Kenkeham, and Church hill. From thence also it
goeth vnto Bruerne, Shipton vnderwood, Ascot, Short hamton, Chorleburie,
Corneburie parke, Stonfield, Longcombe, and southeast of Woodstocke Enis. parke, taketh in the Enis, that riseth aboue
Emstone, and goeth to Ciddington, Glimton, Wotton (where it is increased with a
rill that runneth thither from stéeple Barton, by the Béechin trée) Woodstocke,
Blaidon, so that after this confluence, the said Enis runneth to Cassinton, and
so into the Isis, which goeth from hence to Oxford, and there receiueth the
Charwell, now presentlie to be described.
Charwell.
The head of Charwell is in Northamptonshire, where it riseth out of a little
poole, by Charleton village, seuen miles aboue Banberie northeast, and there it
issueth so fast at the verie surge, that it groweth into a pretie streame, in
maner out of hand. Soone after also Bure. it taketh
in a rillet called the Bure, which falleth into it, about Otmere side: but
forasmuch as it riseth by Bincester, the whole course therof is not aboue foure
miles, and therefore cannot be great. A friend of mine prosecuting the rest of
this description reporteth thereof as followeth. Before the Charwell commeth
into Oxfordshire, it receiueth the Culen. Culen,
which falleth into the same, a little aboue Edgcote, and so [Page 84] descending toward Wardington, it méeteth with
another comming from by north west, betweene Wardington and Cropreadie. At
Banberie also it Come. méeteth with the Come (which
falleth from fennie Conton by Farneboro, and afterwards going by kings Sutton,
not far from Aine, it receiueth the discharge of diuerse rillets, in one
bottome before it come at Clifton. The said water therfore ingendred of so
manie brookelets, Ocus. consisteth chiefelie of
two, whereof the most southerlie called Oke, commeth from Oke Norton, by
Witchington or Wiggington, and the Berfords; and carieng a few blind rils
withall, dooth méet with the other that falleth from by northwest into the
same, within a mile of Charwell.
That other
(as I coniecture) is increased of thrée waters, wherof each Tudo. one hath his seuerall name. The first of them
therefore hight Tudo, which comming betwéene Epwell and the Lée by Toddington,
ioineth about Ornus. Broughton with the second that
runneth from Horneton, named Ornus, as I gesse. The last falleth into the Tude
or Tudelake, beneath Broughton; and for that it riseth not far from Sotteswell
in Warwikeshire, some are Sotbrooke. of the
opinion, that it is to be called Sotbrooke. The next water that méeteth without
Charwell beneath Clifton commeth from about Croughton, Souarus.
Sowar. and after this is the Sowar or Swere, that riseth north of Michaell Tew, Burus. and runneth by nether Wotton. The last of all is the Reie aliàs Bure, whose head is not far aboue Burcester, aliàs Bincester, and Burncester: and from whence it goeth by Burecester to Merton, Charleton, Fencote, Addington, Noke, Islip, and so into Charwell, that holdeth on his course after this augmentation of the waters, betwéene Wood and Water Eton, to Marston, and the east bridge of Oxford by Magdalene college, and so beneath the south bridge into our aforesaid Isis.
Sowar. and after this is the Sowar or Swere, that riseth north of Michaell Tew, Burus. and runneth by nether Wotton. The last of all is the Reie aliàs Bure, whose head is not far aboue Burcester, aliàs Bincester, and Burncester: and from whence it goeth by Burecester to Merton, Charleton, Fencote, Addington, Noke, Islip, and so into Charwell, that holdeth on his course after this augmentation of the waters, betwéene Wood and Water Eton, to Marston, and the east bridge of Oxford by Magdalene college, and so beneath the south bridge into our aforesaid Isis.
Middest of England whereabouts. In describing this riuer, this one thing (right
honorable) is come vnto my mind, touching the center and nauill as it were of
England. Certes there is an hillie plot of ground in Helledon parish, not far from Banberie, where a man maie stand and
behold the heads of thrée notable riuers, whose waters, and those of such as
fall into them, doo abundantlie serue the greatest part of England on this side
of the Humber. The first of these waters is the Charwell, alreadie described.
The second is the Leme that goeth westward into the fourth Auon. And the third
is the head of the Nene or fift Auon it selfe, of whose courses there is no
card but doth make sufficient mention; and therefore your honour maie behold in
the same how they doo coast the countrie, and also measure by compasses how
this plot lieth in respect of all the rest, contrarie to common iudgement,
which maketh Northampton to be the middest and center of our countrie.
To be concluded
next week
