The Natural History of Wiltshire Part 27

PROSPECTS.

1. From Newnton (Mr. Poole's garden-house) is an admirable prospect.

It takes in Malmesbury, &c. and terminates with the blew hills of Salisbury plaines. 'Tis the best in Wiltshire.- Madam Estcourt, or Earle of Kent.

2. From Colern Tower, or Marsfield downe, eastwards; which takes in Bradstock Priory, several steeples and parkes, and extends to Salisbury plaine. - D. of Beauford, or Marq. of Worcester.

3. From the garret at Easton Piers, a delicate prospect. - J. Aubrey.

4. From Bradstock Priory, over the rich green tuff-taffety vale to Cyrencester, Malmesbury, Marsfield, Colern, Mendip-hills; and Coteswold bounds the north horizon. - Earle of Abingdon.

5. From Bowdon Lodge, a n.o.ble prospect of the north part of Wilts. - Hen. Baynton, Esq.

6. From Spy Park, westward. - Hen. Baynton, Esq.

7. From Westbury Hill to the vale below, northward. - Lord Norris.

8. From the south downe of the farme of Broad Chalke one sees over Vernditch, Merton, and the New Forest, to the sea; and all the Isle of Wight, and to Portland. - J. Aubrey. (Memorandum. A quarter of a mile or lesse from hence is Knighton Ashes, which is a sea marke, which came into this prospect. The Needles, at the west end of the Isle of Wight, beare from it south and by east; but try its bearings exactly.)

9. From Knoll Hill, a vast prospect every way. - The Lord Weymouth.

10. From Cricklade Tower, a lovely vernall prospect. - Sir George Hungerford, or Sir Stephen Fox. (This prospect is over the rich green country to Marston-Mazy, Down-Ampney, Cyrencester, Minchinghampton, and Coteswold.)

11. From the leads of Wilton House to Salisbury, Ivy-church, &c. - Sir R. Sawyer, Attorney-Genl.

12. The prospect that I drew from Warren, above Farleigh-castle Parke; and take another view in the parke. - Sir Edward Hungerford. (This prospect of Farleigh is in my book A, at the end; with Mr. Anthony Wood.)

13. The prospect of Malmesbury from the hill above Cowbridge. This I have drawn.

14. I have drawn the prospect of Salisbury, and so beyond to Old Sarum, from the lime-kills at Harnham. (Memorandum. Mr. Dankertz did make a very fine draught of Salisbury. Enquire of Mr. Thompson, the printseller, who bought his draughts, if he hath it) - Seth Ward, Bishop of Sarum. (Set down the lat.i.tude and longitude of Salisbury.)

15. A draft of the toft of the castle and keep of Castle Comb. - Jo.

Scroop, Esq.

16. A Mappe of Wiltshire, to be donne by Mr. [Brown?] that did Staffordshire. (Advertis.e.m.e.nt to the surveyor of Wiltshire, as to the mappe. - Let him make his two first stations at the south downe at Broad Chalke, which he may enlarge two miles or more; from whence he may ken with his bare eye to Portsmouth, all the Isle of Wight, to Portland, to the towers and chimny's of Shaftesbury, to Knoll-hill, to the promontory of Roundway-down above the Devises: to St. Anne's hill, vulgo Tanne hill, to Martinsoll hill, to Amesbury becon-hill, to Salisbury steeple, &c. When he comes into North Wiltshire his prospect will not be much shorter. There he will take in Glastenbury-torre and Gloucestershire, and c.u.mnor Lodge in Barkshire).

IF these views were well donn, they would make a glorious volume by itselfe, and like enough it might take well in the world. It were an inconsiderable expence (charge) to these persons of qualitie, and it would remaine to posterity, when their families are gonn and their buildings ruin'd by time or fire, as we have seen that stupendous fabrick of Paul's Church, not a stone left on a stone, and lives now onely in Mr. Hollar's Etchings in Sir William Dugdale's History of Paul's. I am not displeased with this thought as a desideratum, but I doe never expect to see it donn; so few men have the hearts to doe publique good, to give 3, 4, or 5li. for a copper plate.

" Thus Poets like to Kings (by trust deceiv'd) Give oftner what is heard of than receiv'd."

SIR WILLIAM DAVENANT to the Lady Olivia Porter; "A New Yeares Gift."

(There are n.o.ble prospects in Gloucestershire, but that concernes not me. The city of Gloucester is one of the best views of any city in England; so many stately towers and steeples cutting the horizon. From Broadway-downe one beholds the vale of Evesham, and so to Malvern hills, to Staffordshire, Monmouthshire, Warwickshire, the cities of Gloucester and Worcester, and also Tukesbury, the city of Coventry, and, I thinke, of Lichfield. From Kimsbury, a camp, is a very pleasant prospect to Gloucester over the vale. From Dundery is a n.o.ble prospect of the city of Bristow and St. Vincent's Rocks, &c., quod NB.)

FINIS.