It will, of course, be a matter of taste whether the topics here enumerated should precede or follow the manorial and ecclesiastical history.
I. Situation—extent—hill and river—caverns and springs—scenic character—climate and temperature.
II. Geology—mineral workings—quarries.
III. Special vegetable productions, past and present.
IV. Special Fauna—mammalia—birds—fish—reptiles—insects.
V. Agriculture, past and present. Inclosures of different dates—Inclosure Acts; for the mostly sad effects of these most selfish Acts, which profited the rich at the expense of the poor, for lists of inclosures from time of Queen Anne, and for other valuable information on this topic, see “General Report on Enclosures,” drawn up by the Board of Agriculture in 1808. The Board of Agriculture, in the first quarter of this century, drew up most valuable Surveys of Agriculture for the different counties, many of which are replete with varied and interesting information. On the economic and antiquarian side of this question, read Professor Rogers’s “History of Agriculture and Prices in England.”
VI. Trades and manufactures, past and present.
VII. Fairs and markets.
VIII. Roads, canals, railways, and bridges—past and present. Care should be taken in tracing out disused roads, bridle paths, or pack-horse tracks.
IX. Folk-lore. Under this head will come customs and ceremonies relating to childbearing, churching, christening, courtship, betrothal, marriage, death, and burial—public-house signs and their meaning—customs and superstitious pertaining to wells and streams—used and disused sports and games—obsolete punishments, such as ducking-stool or stocks—omens—witchcraft—ghosts—charms—divinations—and other quaint or original customs. Several books have lately been published on this subject, but they are mostly instances of book-making, and none come up to or surpass Ellis’s edition of “Brand’s Popular Antiquities.” A most useful publication society has been recently started, termed “The Folk Lore Society,” which has already begun collecting and publishing. The Hon. Sec. is G. Lawrence Gomme, Esq., Castelnau, Barnes.