The
Berkshire
Berkshire Downs are a range of chalk downland hills in southern
England, part of the
North Wessex Downs
North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural
Beauty. The
Berkshire
Berkshire Downs are wholly within the traditional county
of Berkshire, although split between the current ceremonial counties
of
Berkshire
Berkshire and Oxfordshire. The western parts of the downs are also
known as the
Lambourn
Lambourn Downs.
Contents
1 Geography
2 History
3 Economy
4 Railway links
5 References
Geography[edit]
The
Berkshire
Berkshire Downs run east–west, with their scarp slope facing
north into the
Vale of White Horse
Vale of White Horse and their dip slope bounded by the
course of the River Kennet. Geologically they are continuous with the
Marlborough Downs
Marlborough Downs to the west and the
Chilterns
Chilterns to the east. In the
east they are divided from the
Chilterns
Chilterns by
Goring Gap
Goring Gap on the River
Thames. In the west their boundary is generally taken to be the border
between
Berkshire
Berkshire and Wiltshire, although the downs in Wiltshire
between the
Berkshire
Berkshire border and the valley of the
River Og
River Og are
sometimes considered to be part of the
Berkshire
Berkshire Downs.
History[edit]
English downland has attracted human habitation since prehistoric
times. The ancient track known as the Ridgeway runs along the
Berkshire
Berkshire Downs. Prehistoric sites in the Downs include Wayland's
Smithy (Neolithic), numerous tumuli (Neolithic or Bronze Age),
Uffington White Horse
Uffington White Horse (Bronze Age),
Liddington Castle
Liddington Castle and Uffington
Castle (Bronze Age and Iron Age), and
Segsbury Camp
Segsbury Camp and Grim's Ditch
(Iron Age).
The Ridgeway
The Ridgeway (
Uffington Castle
Uffington Castle hillfort in distance on left)
It is generally thought that in
Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon times the downs were known
as Æscesdūn or Ashdown, and that it was here that the Battle of
Ashdown was fought in 871.[1]
Economy[edit]
Downland
Downland pasture is firm and well drained, suited to grazing sheep and
grazing and training horses.
Horse racing
Horse racing is a major business in the
area, with much of the downs covered with training areas, and stables
centred on the village of Lambourn.
Railway links[edit]
The
Berkshire
Berkshire Downs can be accessed from various cities via the Great
Western Main Line and its current single operator runs localised
stopping trains as well as the high-speed trains along the Vale of
White Horse calling at major stops Swindon and Didcot Parkway. From
Reading to Newbury trains run along the
Reading to Taunton Line
Reading to Taunton Line in the
River Kennet
River Kennet Valley to reach Devon on the quickest route from London.
From Reading there are the scenic Thames Valley stations of
Pangbourne, Goring & Streatley and Cholsey (linked to the Cholsey
and Wallingford Railway).
References[edit]
^ Royal
Berkshire
Berkshire History website
Coordinates: 51°34′30″N 1°34′12″W / 51.575°N
1.570°W / 51