Derivation of the Name of Lamborn. THE name was anciently written in the Cor. Br., Lanbron, (the inclosure of a round hill); Lan being changed to Lam for the sake of euphony or ease in speaking. From the Welsh llan, an inclosure, and bryn, a hill. The name has been written in ten different ways, viz.: Lanbryn, Lanbron, Lambron, Lambrun, Lambourn, Lambourne, Lamburne, Lamburn, Lamborne, and Lamborn. The editor has used the name as it is spelled by the several authorities from whom the citations are made. The River Lamborn. The Lamborn rises among the hills above the town of the same name, and running by this town, passes through Bockingham, Eastbury, East Garston, the two Sheffords, Weston, Welford, Westbrook, Easton, Boxford, Bagnor, Donnington and Shaw. Near the last mentioned place it flows into the Kennett, its course being about sixteen miles. Many writers who have treated of the topography of England relate that this river is always full in summer, and its stream is entirely lost in winter. The same story is told in a poem by Joshua Sylvester, the translator of "Dubartas." By the testimony of persons of veracity and observation residing in the neighborhood it appears that little credit is to be given to this theory, but the truth is, the river preserves during the whole year a pretty equal degree of fullness, being seldom affected by the drought of summer or subject to inundations in winter. During the remarkable drought of the summer of 1803, its source was completely dried up for some months. The Lamborn abounds with the same fish as the Kennett, but the trout are of a paler color and not so much esteemed. * Arthur's "Derivations of Family Names." 19 "Lamborn River rises near the town of Lamborn, and after a short course of about eleven miles it empties into Kennett River near Newbury. This small river is much celebrated for a circumstance that seems to have no foundation in truth-we mean the story of its being fuller in summer than in winter. Some very ingenious hypotheses have been invented to explain the cause of its waters falling in winter, one of which is particularly curious. It has been supposed that the hill whence the water issues contains a large cavity with a duct in the form of a siphon or crane, and the river which falls in autumn and winter having filled this extensive reservoir, the water continues to flow through the duct until it sinks beneath that foot of the siphon which is inserted in the cavity, and that the current ceases until its exhausted source is again replenished by the rains. "If the subject were of sufficient importance to be interesting it might be asked why, if this hypothesis be true, the bed of the river is not entirely emptied every time the water ceases to flow from the siphon. When a position is controverted by one argument it would be absurd to offer more. The fact is, the current of the river is nearly the same at all times; and the reason why the stream does not seem to materially increase in winter seems to arise from the scarcity of the neighboring eminences by which alone the current would be swelled from the torrents poured into its bosom."-Beauties of England and Wales. Lamborn or Lambourne, Berkshire, Eng. This is a small market town of great antiquity, pleasantly situated in an open country, and deriving its name from the river whose fancied peculiarity we have already examined. This place was bequeathed by King Alfred to his kinsman, Alfrith, with other lordships. After the conquest, it became the property of the Fitz-Warrens, whose interest with Henry III procured its inhabitants the grant of a market and three fairs. On the north side of the church is an hospital for ten poor men; six of whom are nominated by the New College, Oxford, and four by the Hippesley family of this town. About three miles from Lamborn is the most remarkable antiquity in all Berkshire. This is the figure of a white horse, formed on the north-west side of a high and steep hill. Mr. Wise, who appears to have given more attention to this subject than any other person, ascribes its formation to the great Alfred, who ordered it to be made as a trophy of the signal victory which he obtained over the Danes at Ashdown, in this neighborhood, in 871. Carved rudely on the pendant soil is seen The snow-white courser stretching o'er the green: The glorious monument of victory! There England rear'd her long dejected head; -Pye's Farringdon Hill. Mr. Wise, in the warmth of his admiration of this monument, describes it as being designed in so masterly a manner, that even the painter's skill could not give a more perfect delineation of the animal it represents. This praise is certainly exaggerated; for although the outline of the horse shows ingenuity; yet the rude age in which it was formed, as well as its general appearance, contradict the assertion. The horse is portrayed in a galloping position, on the upper part of a hill, where its steep situation and barren soil furnish complete security against the inroads of the plough, the stagnation of waters, or the grazing of cattle. It occupies about an acre of ground, and its shape is determined by hollowed lines, which are trenches cut in the white chalk between two and three feet deep and about ten broad. The head, neck, body and tail are composed of one line varying in width; and one line or trench has also been made for each of the legs. The chalk in the hollowed spaces, being of a brighter color than the turf that surrounds it, catches the sun's rays, and renders the whole figure visible several miles distant. Although the situation of the horse preserves it from all danger of being obliterated, yet the peasants of the surrounding country have a custom of assembling at stated periods for the purpose of clearing it from weeds, etc. This practice, in the phraseology of the country, is called "scouring the horse," and is attended with a rustic festival and the performance of various games. The supplies which nature is continually affording, occasion the turf on the upper verge of the body to crumble and fall into the trench for want of continuity. This makes Asser says, they had got the upper ground, about a half mile lower westward, on the brow of the hill, nearer to Ashbury. Overlooking a farm-house is a camp, fortified seemingly after the Saxon manner, with two ditches, but not nearly so strong as the former, which has only one. This is called Hardwell Camp, and here I suppose King Ethelred lay the night before the engagement. "About a mile or so from thence, beneath the wood of Ashdown Park, is a slight roundish entrenchment, which seems to have been thrown up in haste, and which, as I have been informed, is called Ashbury Camp; and in King Alfred's castle such a signal victory as the Saxons obtained in this place deserved not to pass without some token or memorial of it; and such I take to be the white horse described on the hill, almost under Uffington Castle. Alfred, in setting up his banner for a token, did nothing but what was exactly agreeable to ancient practice; and although he had not the opportunity of raising, like other conquerors, a stupendous monument of brass or marble, yet he has shown an admirable contrivance in one magnificent enough, though simple in its design, that may hereafter vie with the pyramids for duration, and perhaps exist when those shall be no more.' It has been observed that the white horse ceased to be the Saxon standard in the reign of King Alfred. This circumstance may be thought to militate against the opinions of those who ascribe the formation of this monument to that monarch. We must recollect, however, that the battle of Ashdown was fought during the life of Ethelred, when Alfred acted as his brother's lieutenant, consequently before he had ascended the throne; and, also, that the alteration of the banner, in all probability, was not made until the year 883, twelve years afterwards. Among other relics which Pope Martin II transmitted from Rome was "a large portion of the most holy and venerable cross upon which our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified for the universal salvation of men. From a manuscript journal of the travels over a great part of England, by Thomas Bakerville, Esq., of Sunningville, in this country, now in the British Museum, it appears that the holders of the land in the neighborhood of the white horse were, by certain conditions imposed, obliged to cleanse and repair it. This obligation is now void; for although traditions of the peasantry have preserved the memory of |