LONDON: CHAPMAN & HALL, LTD. 1910 PRINTED AND BOUND BY HAZELL, WATSON AND VINEY, LD., LONDON AND AYLESBURY. CONTENTS PAGE INTRODUCTION 1 CHAPTER I CIRENCESTER—SOURCE OF THE THAMES—KEMBLE—ASHTON KEYNES—CRICKLADE—ST. AUGUSTINE’S WELL 8 CHAPTER II CASTLE EATON—KEMPSFORD—BY THE THAMES AND SEVERN CANAL TO INGLESHAM ROUND HOUSE—LECHLADE—FAIRFORD—EATON HASTINGS WEIR—KELMSCOTT—RADCOT BRIDGE 50 CHAPTER III GREAT FARINGDON—BUCKLAND—BAMPTON-IN-THE-BUSH—COTE—SHIFFORD 110 CHAPTER IV HARVESTS OF THE THAMES: WILLOWS, OSIERS, RUSHES 128 CHAPTER V NEW BRIDGE, THE OLDEST ON THE THAMES—STANDLAKE—GAUNT’S HOUSE—NORTHMOOR—STANTON HARCOURT—BESSELSLEIGH 138 CHAPTER VI CUMNOR, AND THE TRAGEDY OF AMY ROBSART 161 CHAPTER VII WYTHAM—THE OLD ROAD—BINSEY AND THE ORATORY OF ST. FRIDESWIDE—THE VANISHED VILLAGE OF SEACOURT—GODSTOW AND “FAIR ROSAMOND”—MEDLEY—FOLLY BRIDGE 186 CHAPTER VIII IFFLEY, AND THE WAY THITHER—NUNEHAM, IN STORM AND IN SUNSHINE 200 CHAPTER IX ABINGDON 216 CHAPTER X SUTTON COURTNEY—LONG WITTENHAM—LITTLE WITTENHAM—CLIFTON HAMPDEN—DAY’S LOCK AND SINODUN 234 CHAPTER XI DORCHESTER—BENSON 260 CHAPTER XII WALLINGFORD—GORING 272 CHAPTER XIII STREATLEY—BASILDON—PANGBOURNE—MAPLEDURHAM—PURLEY 293 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS SEPARATE PLATES AT ASHTON KEYNES _Frontispiece_ PAGE CIRENCESTER CHURCH: SHOWING THE GREAT BUTTRESS 11 THE OLD MILL HOUSE, ASHTON KEYNES 23 THE INFANT THAMES, ASHTON KEYNES 31 APPROACH TO CRICKLADE 35 ST. SAMPSON, CRICKLADE 39 STRAINER-BUTTRESS, ST. SAMPSON’S, CRICKLADE 43