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South part. - At the east end of Ebbesbourne Wake is a meadowe called
Ebbesbourne, that beareth grasse eighteen foot long. I myself have
seen it of thirteen foot long; it is watered with the washing of the
village. Upon a wager in King James the First's time, with washing it
more than usuall, the grasse was eighteen foot long. It is so sweet
that the pigges will eate it; it growes no higher than other grasse,
but with knotts and harles, like a skeen of silke (or setts together).
They cannot mowe it with a sythe, but they cutt it with such a hooke
as they bagge pease with.
At Orston [Orcheston] St. Maries is a meadowe of the nature of that at
Ebbesbourne aforesayd, which beares a sort of very long grasse. Of
this grasse there was presented to King James the First some that were
seventeen foot long: here is only one acre and a half of it. In common
yeares it is 12 or 13 foot long. It is a sort of knott grasse, and the
pigges will eate it.
[The "Orcheston Grass" has long been famous as one of the most
singular vegetable products of this country. From the time of Fuller,
who particularly mentions it in his "Worthies of England", many
varying and exaggerated accounts of it have been published: but in the
year 1798 Dr. Maton carefully examined the grass, and fully
investigated the peculiar circumstances of soil and locality which
tend to its production. He contributed the result of his inquiries to
the Linn?an Society, in a paper which is printed in the fifth volume
of their Transactions.
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