As the article on this county, in the original work, is inaccurate and imperfect, nearly in the same respects as we have remarked the account of BEDFORDSHIRE to be, we shall follow the same plan here, as we did in the supplementary article on that county.

This county extends from 51.19 to 51.48 north latitude, and from 0.34-30 to 1.43 west longitude. In shape it is very irregular, the whole northern side being figured by the windings of the Thames, which, taking a southern course from Oxford, almost cuts this county asunder at Reading, and renders its whole western part much broader than its eastern. A part of Wiltshire, detached at a considerable distance from the rest of that county, lies in the neighbourhood of Woking and Reading, surrounded by Berkshire; and two Berkshire parishes lie on the north side of the Thames, surrounded by Oxfordshire. It is bounded on the north by Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, from which it is separated by the Thames; on the east by Surrey; on the south by Hampshire; and on the west by Wiltshire. At the north-west corner, it just touches upon Gloucestershire. Its greatest length, from Old Windsor to the county cross, near Hungerford, is 42 miles. Its greatest breadth from Witham, near Oxford, to the borders of Hampshire, south of Newbury, 28\( \frac{1}{2} \) miles; and its narrowest, from the Thames by Reading, to the borders of Hampshire, in a direct south line, only 7 miles. It is 207 miles in circumference. The area assigned to it in the original work is much too large. According to the agricultural report, the number of acres in it is only 438,977. According to the returns respecting the poor-rates, 476,170; and, according to Dr Becke, 469,500.

The chalk stratum crosses quite through the whole of this county, but it is only in the western part of it that it is so elevated as to possess the name and character of Downs, and to be chiefly used as a sheep-walk. The Thames, entering the chalk-hills at Streteley, crosses them obliquely from thence onwards, leaving their more elevated part on the north of the river in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire, so that the eastern part of that stratum in Berkshire, is sufficiently covered with soil to be used in tillage-husbandry. To the south of the elevated part of the chalk ridge is a vale, which, beginning about the middle of Wiltshire, continues almost in a straight line from thence to the Eastern Sea, having in it the Channel of the Kennet, from Hungerford almost to Reading, and that of the Thames from Bray in Berkshire to the sea. Besides the great chalk stratum of the kingdom, which crosses Berkshire, there is a line of moderately elevated hills, which extend from Oxford to Farrington. The substratum of this line is, for the most part, calcareous stone, of various degrees of hardness; being part of the same stratum, which, with a few interruptions, crosses the kingdom in a north-eastern direction, from the west of Dorsetshire, nearly parallel to the great line of chalk, and a few miles distant from it. Gently descending from this elevated line of country, is the vale of Berkshire, which crosses the country from the parish of Shireham on the west, to Cholsey on the eastern boundary. Next to this vale on the south are the chalk-hills already mentioned. The natural divisions of the county, which are as follows, are strongly marked, as might appear from our account of its surface: 1. The vale, as it is emphatically termed, or the vale of Berkshire, or the White-horse Vale, which, crossing the country from Shireham to Cholsey, is bounded on one side by the Thames, and on the other by the White-horse hills, a continuation of the Children range. 2. The Chalky-hills, which run nearly through the centre of the lower part of the county. 3. The vale of Kennet; and, 4. The forest, which nearly occupies the whole of the eastern part, commencing on the east of the Loddon, and extending the breadth of the county to Windsor.

The prevalent soils in this county are light and ealeaceous: the soil of the vale of Berkshire is a gray calcareous loam, probably of more tenacity than any other soil in the county; it is evidently formed by vegetable earth and chalk; of course easily cultivated at all seasons, and very productive. On the sides of the vale of Kennet is, for the most part, a reddish earth, more or less mingled with chalk and flints; in the vale itself, the prevailing soil is gravel, but with some very fertile corn-land, or deep loam, easily cultivated. The whole course of the river Kennet is through a bed of peat, from Hungerford to Reading. The mode and cause of the formation of this peat are very evident. In the town of Reading, the Kennet passes between two hills; and it would appear, that formerly the channel between them could not have been sufficiently low to carry the waters off, and prevent them from forming a morass in its whole extent, for about 25 miles above this obstruction. To the south of this river, near Hungerford, a tract of poor gravel and clay commences; at first, for several miles it is very narrow; but in the eastern part of the county it becomes very wide. It is everywhere ferruginous, and in most places very barren. The southern boundary of the county everywhere passes through this line of coarse land. In the forest division there is gravel, clay, and loam; the last in the centre, and the two former in the southern parts; the substratum of nearly the whole of Berkshire is calcareous.

The climate of this county is mild and dry, except on the elevated line of chalk, where it is rather cold and piercing. We are not aware of any meteorological observations that have been made in the county.

The principal rivers are the Thames, the Kennet, the Loddon, the Ock, the Lambourn, and the Auborn. The Thames enters this county about a mile south from Lecklade, and forms its boundary during a course of more than 100 miles; in its progress watering the towns of Abingdon, Wallingford, Reading, Maidenhead, and Windsor, besides several villages; it is navigable as high as St John's Bridge, near Lecklade. In its course through Berkshire, it produces pike, trout, and various other common fish, besides carp and tench, which are supposed to be brought thither by floods. The Kennet, having divided this county from Wiltshire for about two miles, enters it at Hungerford. At Newbury, where it is joined by the Lambourn, it becomes navigable, and flowing thence through rich meadows to Reading, it there unites with the Thames. Its course through Berkshire is nearly thirty miles. The trout of this river have long been celebrated for their size and flavour; it produces also pike, perch, eels, cray-fish, chub, roach, and dace. The river Loddon, which rises near Aldershot in Hampshire, becomes a boundary between that county and Berkshire at Blackwater. After continuing so for eight miles, it enters Berkshire at Swallowfield, and falls into the Thames near Wargrave; its course in the county being about twelve miles. The Ock, which rises near Uffington, falls into the Thames at Abingdon; its pike are remarkably fine. The Auborn rises in Berkshire, but afterwards becomes a boundary between it and Hampshire; beyond Hedc-end, it again enters the county, and falls into the Kennet a little below Wasing; its whole course is about seventeen miles. The Lambourn rises among the hills in the vicinity of the town of the same name, and, as has been already mentioned, falls into the Kennet near Newbury.

The Wiltshire and Berkshire canal commences on the banks of the Isis near Abingdon, and, passing through Wantage, Chippenham, and Mielksham, joins the canal from the Kennet to the Avon, at Trowbridge. From this canal, collateral cuts are made to Wantage, Caine, and Chippenham. The Kennet and Avon canal begins a little above Newbury, and runs parallel with the Kennet to Kintbury, where it crosses the river twice. It afterwards crosses it in three other places during its course to the head of the river. From Crofton to Barbage it goes through a tunnel 2 1/2 miles long. After crossing the Avon thrice, it proceeds by the side of it till the junction with it is completed. The entire length, from Newbury to Bath, is 60 miles; with 176 feet rise, and 369 feet fall.

This county does not produce many rare plants; Botany, among those which occur the least frequently are Myrica gale, sweet willow, Dutch myrtle; Monotropa hypopithys, bird's-nest; Asarum Europaeum, asarabacca, found by Dr Abbot in the beech-wood between Henley and Maidenhead; Antirrhinum monspessulanum, growing abundantly on the chalky banks of Henley hill; and Lycopodium selago, and L. inundatum, fir club-moss, and marsh club-moss, in a bog on Upton Common. The probable origin of the peat found in the Vale of Peat. Newbury has already been noticed in our account of that river. It is found on both sides of the Kennet for several miles above and below the town of Newbury. The stratum lies at various depths below the surface of the ground, and varies in thickness from 1 to 8 or 10 feet; gravel is usually found underneath it. Horns, heads, and bones of various animals, have been found in it. According to the analysis of Sir H. Davy, it consists of

<table> <tr> <th>Oxyde of iron</th> <th>Gypsum</th> <th>Muriat of sulphur and potash</th> <th></th> </tr> <tr> <td>- - -</td> <td>- - -</td> <td>-</td> <td>48</td> </tr> <tr> <td>-</td> <td>-</td> <td>-</td> <td>32</td> </tr> <tr> <td>-</td> <td>-</td> <td>-</td> <td>20</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3"></td> <td>100</td> </tr> </table>

The mineralogy of Berkshire presents very little that is interesting. Oyster-shells are found in the sand strata near Reading; and in one place in the vicinity of that town, a stratum of fuller's earth.

Landed property is very much divided in this county; the largest estate not exceeding L.10,000 per annum; and very few amounting to L.5000. Property is least divided in the lower part of Berkshire. By far the greatest portion of the land is freehold. Leases on lives, and leases renewable every seven years, are not unfrequent. A few estates are held by leases of 1000 years. The farms are very various in respect to size; but in general they are small. According to Dr Beeke, on the supposition that there are 469,500 acres in the county, they are distributed in the following manner:—

<table> <tr> <th>Arable land</th> <th></th> <th>255,000</th> </tr> <tr> <th>Meadows and dairy land</th> <th></th> <th>72,000</th> </tr> <tr> <th>Sheep walks</th> <th></th> <th>25,000</th> </tr> <tr> <th>Other dry pastures, parks, &c.</th> <th></th> <th>30,000</th> </tr> <tr> <th>Wastes, chiefly barren heaths</th> <th></th> <th>30,000</th> </tr> <tr> <th>Woods, copses, &c.</th> <th></th> <th>30,000</th> </tr> <tr> <th>Space occupied by buildings, fences, wood, rivers, &c.</th> <th></th> <th>27,500</th> </tr> <tr> <th colspan="2"></th> <th>469,500</th> </tr> </table> From this statement it will be seen, that a large proportion of the land in Berkshire is under the plough. Wheat and barley are very extensively cultivated, and are produced of the very best quality. The flour which comes to the London market from Reading and its vicinity is deemed little if at all inferior to that which is produced from the wheats of Essex and Kent; between 20,000 and 30,000 sacks are sent annually to the metropolis. The malt of Berkshire, particularly that made at Reading, Newbury, and Wallingford, is equally celebrated for its goodness; it is principally sent to London and Bristol. At Wallingford alone, upwards of 120,000 bushels are made annually. On the grass lands in the vale of White-horse, are many good dairy farms, on some of which peculiarly rich cheeses are made.

The Berkshire breed of sheep are very similar in size, form, and qualities, to the breed of Dorsetshire and Wiltshire. Besides this native breed, there are kept on the sheep farms the Wiltsire, Dorset, South Down, and a few of the Bagshot-heath breed. The whole produce of wool in this county is estimated at 4150 packs. The swine of Berkshire have long been noted for the smallness of their bone and their disposition to fatten quickly. They are now common in most parts of the kingdom, and are generally preferred at the distilleries, being good either for pork or bacon.

The agriculture of this county presents nothing else peculiar or deserving of notice, except the Newbury peat, which, when burnt, affords an excellent manure, and is very extensively used as such, not only in this but in the neighbouring counties.

The south and east sides of Berkshire have a large proportion of woodland; the most common kind of wood is hazel, occasionally mixed with oak, beech, ash, and alder. The chief quantity of timber is at the eastern extremity of the county, in and about Windsor forest, in the Vale of Kennet, and by the banks of the Thames. Windsor forest was formerly of much greater extent than it is at present. According to Norden's map of it, taken in the year 1607, its circuit was 77½ miles, exclusively of that part of it which extended into Buckinghamshire. The present circuit of it, according to Rocque's map, is about 56 miles; but it will probably be soon much lessened, in consequence of the act of Parliament lately passed, by which commissioners are appointed to dispose of parts of it to the proprietors of neighbouring lands. Windsor great and little parks are in the forest. The former is embellished with some rich forest scenery. In it His Majesty had two large farms, one of which was conducted on the Norfolk, and the other on the Flemish system of husbandry. On the south-east side of Windsor little park was formerly a venerable tree, immortalized by Shakespeare, and since known by the appellation of Herne's Oak.

Berkshire was formerly one of the principal seats of the clothing-manufacture, which flourished particularly in the towns of Abingdon, Newbury, and Reading. In the middle of the seventeenth century, this manufacture was carried on to a considerable extent; but it declined soon afterwards, and for several years has been wholly discontinued. In the vicinity of Newbury there is a large paper-mill; and in the town itself, a small manufactory of serge. There is another paper-mill at Bagnor; a manufacture of sacking at Abingdon, and a few other trifling manufactures in other parts of the county. The only one, however, which deserves particular notice, is the copper manufacture at the Temple Mills, in the parish of Bisham. In the early part of the last century, when they were employed for making brass and copper pans and kettles, they were known by the name of Bisham Abbey Battery Works. The manufactures now carried on at these mills are confined to the rolling of copper sheets, for various purposes; the rolling of copper bolts, for the navy and merchant service, and the hammering out copper pans and bottoms for distilleries. During full employment, from 600 to 1000 tons of copper are manufactured here. These mills are said to be the most powerful and complete in the kingdom.

There are many very great markets in Berkshire; Markets, Abingdon, Reading, Newbury, Wallingford, and Windsor, have great corn-markets. Ilsley is celebrated for its sheep-market, which is supposed to be the largest county market in England; it commences on the Wednesday in the Easter week, and continues to be held every alternate Wednesday till Midsummer; 20,000 sheep have been sometimes sold in one day; the annual average is upwards of 250,000, comprising lambs. Oakingham market is remarkable for its abundant supply of poultry, which is principally bought for the supply of the metropolis. At Farringdon is the principal market for bacon and hams; 4000 swine are said to be slaughtered annually here, between November and April, for the supply of London and Oxford.

Berkshire affords many specimens of Saxon architecture, the most remarkable of which are Avington Church, and the Nave of Windsor Church; the churches of Uffington, Englefield, and Farringdon, and the Chapel at Little Farringdon, exhibit some striking specimens of the early Gothic. One of the most complete and splendid specimens of the later style of Gothic architecture, is St George's Chapel at Windsor.

In the year 1776, the poor-rates of this county amounted to the sum of L. 39,923, 9s. 3d.; in the year 1783, they had increased to L. 49,866, 10s. 8d.; and in the year 1803, to L. 96,860, 19s. 10½d.: in this year the rate was at 4s. 11d. in the pound. Of the sum thus collected, L. 82,604 was expended in the maintenance of the poor; there were relieved, in and out of workhouses, 22,588 poor people, at the rate of L. 3, 12s. 10d. annually, for each person relieved. The number relieved in the workhouses was 1169, at the rate of L. 12, 6s. 5½d. per head; the number relieved at their own houses was 21,419, at the rate of L. 3, 2s. 10½d. per head. The total money raised by rates was 17s. 9d. per head, on the population at that time. Twenty-one persons in a hundred were relieved. There were 47 Friendly Societies, containing 2843 members; and there were 305 children in the Schools of Industry. By the last return to Parliament, 192 parishes in Berkshire Berkshire (§1 not having made any return) paid, in the year ending the 21st of March 1815, L. 125,710, os. 4½d. for poor's-rates, and other parochial rates.

The population of this county, at the time of the Norman survey, amounted to between 40,000 and 50,000. In the year 1700, it was estimated at 75,000. The number of inhabited houses, in 1800, was 20,573; of uninhabited houses 622, and of inhabitants 109,215. Of these 52,821 were males, and 56,394 females; 38,155 were chiefly employed in agriculture, and 16,921 in trades, manufactures, or handicraft. In 1811, the number of inhabited houses was 22,104; of families inhabiting them, 24,051; houses building, 129; uninhabited, 568; families employed in agriculture 13,409, on land, the annual rent of which was L. 407,186; families employed in manufactures and trade 7584, the amount of their annual profits being L. 272,582; families not included under these two heads 4058; males 57,360 and females 60,917. Total population 118,277. The number of people to a square mile was 744; the annual proportions of baptisms were one to 34 persons; of burials, one to 53; and of marriages, one to 144.

During the civil war in the seventeenth century, this county was frequently the scene of action between the contending parties. In September 1643, the first battle of Newbury was fought, in which the celebrated Lord Falkland lost his life. In October 1644, a second battle was fought near Newbury; in each of them, both parties claimed the victory.—See Mayor's Agricultural Report of Berkshire; Beauties of England and Wales, Vol. I.; Lyson's Magna Britannia; Smith's Map of the Strata of England, and Memoir.