Yet that the
freestone still preserves somewhat that is analogous to chalk, is
plain from the beeches which descend as low as those rocks
extend, and no farther, and thrive as well on them, where the
ground is steep, as on the chalks.
The cart-way of the village divides, in a remarkable manner, two
very incongruous soils. To the south-west is a rank-clay, that
requires the labour of years to render it mellow; while the gardens
to the north-east, and small enclosures behind, consist of a warm,
forward, crumbling mould, called black malm, which seems highly
saturated with vegetable and animal manure; and these may
perhaps have been the original site of the town; while the wood
and coverts might extend down to the opposite bank.
At each end of the village, which runs from south-east to north-
west, arises a small rivulet: that at the north-west end frequently
fails; but the other is a fine perennial spring, little influenced by
drought or wet seasons, called Well-head.* This breaks out of
some high grounds joining to Core Hill, a noble chalk promontory,
remarkable for sending forth two streams into two different seas.
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