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The soil of South Wilts is chalke and white marle, which abounds with
nitre; and is inimique to the nerves by the nitre that irradiates from
it. 'Tis that gives the dampishnesse to the flowres and walles of
Salisbury and Chalke, &c. E contra, Herefordshire, Salop,
Montgomeryshire, &c. the soile is clear of any salt; which, besides
the goodnesse of the air, conduces much to their long?vitas: e. g.,
100 yeares of age in those parts as common as 80 in Wilts, &c.
The walles of the church of Broad Chalke, and of the buttery at the
farme there, doe shoot out, besides nitre, a beautifull red, lighter
than scarlet; an oriental horse-flesh colour.
The soile of Savernake forest is great gravelle: and (as I remember)
pebbley, as on the sea side. At Alderbury, by Ivy Church, is great
plenty of fine gravelle; which is sent for all over the south parts
of the countrey.
At Sutton Benger eastward is a gravelly field called Barrets, which is
sown every year onely with barley: it hath not lain fallow in the
memory of the oldest man's grandfather there. About 1665 Mr. Leonard
Atkins did sow his part of it with wheat for a triall. It came up
wonderfully thick and high; but it proved but faire strawe, and had
little or nothing in the eare. This land was heretofore the vineyard
belonging to the abbey of Malmesbury; of which there is a recitall
in the grant of this manner by K. Henry VIII. to Sir ---- Long.
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