PART OF THE COUNTY ONCE AN OCEAN.

17

and unequivocal testimony, which will prove that then there was but one religion, and one language in this country, in Egypt, and all the nations of the East; and from the topographical nomenclature of many of the localities round, the inference comes irresistibly upon us, that this language was spoken, and this idolatry must have been practised in Nottingham. To this day, the Trent is a noble river, exceeded only by the Thames, Humber, and Severn, in this kingdom. But time has been, when it swelled out in all the breadth and depth of a Channel, since then, by progressive encroachments, thousands and tens thousands of acres of excellent land, in the different counties through which it passes, have been recovered from the ancient boundaries of the Trent. And this is easily accounted for, tens of thousands tons of gravel and soil are washed down from the mountains by the rains, and carried forward by the floods, are deposited in the beds of the river every year. The action of the winds, though by a slower process, produces a similar effect; and the yeilding principle inherent in nature, called gravity in matter, inclines to leave an elevated position, and form the whole earth into one level plain.

CHAPTER IV.

From the view of the subject refered to in the last chapter, the constantly decreasing depth of the Trent, and every other river, ceases to be a subject of astonishment or wonder.

The northern part of the North Clay in this county, is agreeably diversified with hill and dale; and the bold promontories rise abruptly from the dead level of Mission Car, and their continuance into Lincolnshire, evidently appear, at some remote period, to have been the boundaries of an ocean, which must have flowed over what is now a scene of the richest cultivation. It is impossible for any person to contemplate the prospect from "Gringley-on-the-hill," without arriving at this conclusion. It appears even more evident when viewed from below, particularly in the road from Bawtry to Retford, where the elevations have all the appearance of islands, rising from the bosom of the sea; their abrupt cliffs being to the northward, whilst they sink gradually into the level of the county. Chester has long ceased from being a sea port town, though formerly it enjoyed this honour; but the decreased depth of the Dee, has rendered it no longer navigable for ships. Liverpool also, celebrated as it now is, and justly ranking as the second port in the Empire,

D

cannot long continue such. The perpetually choking up of the mouth of that river, by the gravel taken down by each refluxing tide, has already rendered it impossible for more than two vessels to enter the Mersey abreast; and, notwithstanding every vigorous, and mechanical effort to remove it, judging from the past effects, ere long, despite of every effort, to a 1 but the smallest craft, will present an insuperable bar, cease itself from being a sea po:t, and Liverpool yield the palm to another.

The small rill that divides the isle of Thanet from the rest of the county of Kent, at the comparitively modern period, when Vortergern the Briton, after the evacuation of the Island by the Romans, in the sixth century, having invited the Saxons to assist his party against some of the other tribes of the Britons, gave the Saxon allies Thanet, as a place of security for them and their shipping, which, in those days, was divided from the main land by a Channel, carrying ships of the heaviest burthen, and though now scarcely perceptible, was then nearly a mile wide. (a)

Formerly the Trent itself was navigable for ships as far as Nottingham, so recently as the reign of Richard II, in 1392, (b) and the fifteenth year of his reign, a presentation was made against Richard Byron and Joan his wife, daughter of William de Colwick, for hindering the course of the water of the Trent at Over Colwick; which was the right of the said Joan, as daughter and heiress of the said William de Colwick. In that presentation, the Trent is described as one of the great rivers of the kingdom of England, for the passage of ships and battels, (boats) with victuals and other merchandizes, from the castle of Nottingham, to the water of the Humber, and from thence into the deep sea.

CHAPTER V.

This ancient stream takes its rise near Biddulph, in the Moorlands of Staffordshire, and receives many tributary streams in Cheshire, whilst near its head. It soon increases to a considerable river, and

(a) Pictorial History of England v I. p 58. (b) Was son of the Black Prince, was born in 1366. succeeded his grandfather to the throne, when only eleven years of age; and was murdered at Pontefract Castle in 1400, after a reign of three years. He was deposed by his rebellious subjects, at the head of which was his cousin, the Duke of Lancaster, who assumed the reins of government as Henry IV. in 1399, while the king was yet prisoner, and a year before his death. The unfortunate Richard, it is said, killed four of his assassins, but was at length overpowered by numbers, and slain

COURSE OF THE TRENT.

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after the Dove, the Derwent, and the Soar empty themselves into it, it assumes its grandour and beauty; descending the high mountanous districts, its waters rush onward with great rapidity, passing close by the north side of Clifton G ove, (a) it pursues a meandering course through the delightful meadows of Nottingham; urges its way by the south front of Colwick Hall, the magnificent seat of John Musters, Esq., the successful rival of the late Lord Byron, for the hand of the beaut ful and accomplished heiress, of the ancient and noble family of the Chaworth's, of Annesly Park in this county; (a) then passing onward by Newark and Gainsborough; and about twenty miles below which, at "Trent Falls," it joins the Ouse, and loses its own name in that of the Humber, which varies from four to six miles wide, and is navigated up to Hull, a famous sea port, by traders of the largest size; and thence, after having traversed a circuitous distance of near two hundred miles, enters the German Ocean in triumph, less like a river, than an arm of the sea.

The navigation of the Trent is of so great importance to the country, in consequence of the numerous communications it forms. with other rivers and canals, that every means has been taken to facilitate its operation. For this purpose a side canal of ten miles in length, was made, under an act passed in 1784, in order to avoid twenty-one shoals, which occur in little more than thirteen miles of its course, between the bridges of Nottingham and Sawley, at the commencement of the Trent and Mersey Canal. This side canal, which is sometimes called "Trent canal," has a rise of twenty-eight feet, and crosses the Erewash navigation near Attenborough; it formerly terminated at Beeston, but in 1794, ten years after the first act was obtained, another was sought and granted, to extend it as far as Lenton, where it joins the Nottingham canal.

We take leave of this part of our subject with feelings of gratitude, for the superior mercies we enjoy, above those of our fathers. Time has been, when the deluded votaries of a specious idolatry came to this very Trent, to wash, to drink, and to pray unto this river, as a god! and offer sacrifices to it. The sick and dying were probably considered certain of future happiness, who could ablute in its water and expire on its banks! The tender mother, under the same delusion, casting the infant of her love into it, and watching till it sank in its watery grave! Perhaps, time has been, when the lovely meadows and the whole vale of the Trent was a sea of waters, or at least inun

(a) This was the favourite walk of the late amiable talanted and pious Kirk White, whose lamented death took place while a student at Cambridge, in the 21st year of his age. (b) Several of this family have been enobled. This excellent Lady fell a martyr to political turbulence on the rejection of the Reform Bill by the House of Lords. The Hall at Colwick was visited, ransacked, and set fire to by a mob, which so terrified this Lady, that she never recovered, and died Feb. 12th, 1832.

dated with cach recurring tide, and ships navigating the river. No doubt Nottingham has been a sea port, and it now hardly admits of a doubt, that it is distined, ere long, to be so again. (a) With a river (a sea, shall we call it?) in their front a source of protection and wealth, their ramports, the lofty elevation of an inaccessible rock, and behind them, the wide spreading forest of Sherwood, abounding with wild fowl, and deer, we may safely hazard the assertion that no place in the kingdom, could supply more ample advantages of every kind, than those that were enjoyed by the inhabitants of this ancient British city.

BOOK II.

CHAPTER I.

We now come to the consideration of the second source of information proposed, for establishing and illustrating our position, that Nottingham was an ancient British city; which is to consider-the contemporary history of other towns, which are known, or believed to have been the residences of the ancient Britons; and from their manners, habits, and customs, we may form a tolerably accurate idea what was the probable condition of those who inhabited in this city.

We have already stated, the adjoining fields were appropriated to depasturing the cattle of the inhabitants resident in their cities; and here no doubt, we must look for the origin of those common fields, in the immediate neighbourhood of our oldest towns, and on which we shall bestow particular attention in the progress of the work pointing out the nature and extent of these privileges; the persons entitled to them, and the changes through which they have passed, down to the present day.

(a) A public meeting was held in the Exchange, Sept. 4th, 1838. for the purpose of considering the propriety of forming a Ship Canal, from Hull to Nottingham, J. Heard, Esq. Mayor, in the Chair; on the motion of T. Wakefield, Esq. seconded by Mr. Wheatcroft,-It was resolved un animously, that this meeting is of opinion that a Ship Canal from Hull to Nottingham. is desirable and would be advantageous to this town and the surrounding district. On the motion of T. Moore, Esq. seconded by Mr. Felkin, a committee was appointed to carry the former motion into effect.

HISTORY OF THE DRUIDS.

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From this it will be seen, that neither by any overt act of the people, or by the exercise of the royal prerogative, have those privileges ever been removed from them, but remain the indefeasible and inalienable right of the ancient burgesses to this day.

The Roman historians tell us, at the time of the invasion, by Julius Cæsar, that the only dress of the Britons, was a hide thrown over their shoulders, after the manner of a cloak, to protect them from the cold; and this hairy, or woolly mantle was fastened at the neck with a metal brooch, or a skewer made of bone or wood, (a) and at the same time, the finery of both sexes consisted in the iron chains they wore about their necks and waists, (b) with a sword or battle axe, (c) some times made of brass, which was a composition of copper and tin, and others of stone, called tomma hawks, many specimens of which, remain in the collections of the curious, and are called "celts." These weapons were slung from a belt round their waist, and hung by their naked sides; they also ornamented their persons with figures of different animals, both savage and tame, which they imprest, or tattooed on every part of their body; with a blue infusion of their native wood, and which they ostentatiously displayed in the field of battle, and on other public occasions. (d) If these accounts are to be credited, which are contained in the writings of Cæsar, Pliny, and Tacitus, they should be received with carefulness, for as we shall have repeated opportunities of witnessing that, when describing the barbarous state of the Britons, they are not altogether free from exaggeration. Taken with these abatements, however, they in a great degree fill up a chasm, that otherwise would be left in the early part of our national history; little, as is supplied by them, touching the manners and habits of the ancient Britons, that little must be considered valuable, where there is such a paucity of information. Looking through this medium, we see the early inhabitants of these islands, passing like spectres before us, enveloped in the mist and dimness of times, which for centuries have passed. Here we pause, and draw this conclusion, if tattooed and skin clad, was the appearance presented by the British inhabitants, such also, must have been the ancient residents of Nottingham.

(a) Cæs. c. T. (b) This could not have been the case with all the people, their princes and priests wore chains of gold. Dio. Nic. apud Xiphil.

(c) Gladio nundis cortioribus frenttente. id

(d) Cæsar De Bell. Gall. c, 5.