928 WINCHESTER.—WINDSOR.

winter lingers longer than might be supposed, in con-sequence, most probably, of the chilly retentivenature of the under soil through the greater part of it.

The inhabitants of this county have increased withgreat rapidity. In 1700, the population amounted to153,900; in 1750, thev hadj increased to 168,400 ; in1801, to 191,900 ; in 1811, to 200,400 ; in 1821, to226,600; and in 1831, they amounted to 239,800 per-sons. Wilts is a divided county, and sends fourmembers to parliament, exclusive of the borough.The northern division comprises the hundreds ofChippenham, North Damerham, Bradford, Melksham,Potterne and Cannings, Caine, Selkley, Ramsbury,Whorwelsdown, Swanborough, Highworth, Crickladeand Staple, Kingsbridge and Malmesbury. Polling-places, Devizes, Melksham, Malmesbury, Swindon.Court forelectionof the knightsof theshire.'at Devizes.The Southern division, comprises the hundreds of Kin-wardstone, Heytesburv, Branch and Dole, ElstubandEverley, Amesbury, Warminster, Mere, South Da-merham, Downton, Chalk, Dunworth, Cavvden andCadworth, Trusttield, Aldebury, Underditch, andWestbury. Polling-places: Salisbury, Warminster,EasFEverley, and Hinden. Court for election of theknights of the shire, at Salisbury.

Winchester. An English city in the county ofHants. It stands on the banks of the river Itchin,and is principally distinguished for the beauty of itscathedral, which is considered one of the most splen-did ecclesiastical edifices in England. It may beconsidered as a tolerably accurate record of all thesuccessive changes in the Norman style of archi-tecture, from its rise, or at least its introduction intothis country, in the eleventh, till its disappearancein the sixteenth century. The building is in theusual form of a cross, and is one of the largest of ourcathedrals, its length from east to west being fivehundred and forty-five feet, and the breadth of thenave and ailes eighty-seven feet. The length of thetransepts from north to south is one hundred andeighty-six feet; and the roof of the nave is seventy-six feet in height. The central tower was built bybishop Walkelyn, whose general repairs of the edificewere regarded as so important, that on their com-pletion in 1093, the church underwent a new dedica-tion to St. Peter, St. Paul, and St. Swithin. Afterthis, a portion of the east end was rebuilt towards theclose of the eleventh century, by bishop Godfrey deLucie. But the most important improvements whichwere made on the original structure were those whichwere commenced soon after the middle of the four-teenth century, by bishop William de Edyndon, andcontinued and completed by his illustrious successorthe celebrated William de Wykeham, who held thissee from 1366 to 1404. The latter prelate may besaid to have rebuilt nearly the whole of the cathedralto the westward of the central tower; and to him inparticular is to be attributed the construction of thegreat west front, which is by far the most magnificentpart of the edifice as it now exists. Finally, in theearly part of the sixteenth century, a considerablepart of the church to the east of the central towerwas restored by bishop Richard Fox, one of themost distinguished prelates by whom the see wasever governed.

This city contains many other edifices of import-ance, which are all built in a good style of archi-lecture. Winchester has very little trade, but whatimmediately arises from its advantageous situation in

the very centre of the county. All the public businessof Hampshire is, however, transacted here, and thereis rarely an interval of many weeks without a greatconflux of strangers on that account, and this circum-stance is, of course, highly advantageous to the pecu-niary advantage of the inhabitants. Winchestersends two members to the British parliament, and ithas a population of 9212 persons. This city is sixty,two miles S.W. by W. of London, and twelve N.N.E.of Southampton.

Windermere. A picturesque lake in Westmore-land. The beautiful scenery which surround theplacid waters of this lake has long been the themeboth of poets and topographical writers. Wood,fell, and lake are finely contrasted with ground moreimmediately devoted to the labours of the agriculturist.The disciples of “ that quaint and cruel coxcomb,”Isaac Walton, may here pursue their piscatory labourswith a certainty of success, as the lake abounds withthe finest fish. In the summer season the neigh-bouring heights are frequently spotted with smalltents belonging to parties of pleasure, who are con-stantly arriving from the metropolis ; and when therail-roads now in progress are carried to their desti.nation, thousands of persons will be enabled to enjoythe sylvan scenery of Cumberland and Westmoreland,to whom these delightful counties must otherwisehave been completely unknown. We give a sketchof the lake, taken from the best point of view.

I*

Windsor. A borough town in the county ofBerks. It is built on the banks of the Thames, andhas long been celebrated for its royal castle andpark. It is situated on a hill which commandsa delightful prospect over the adjacent country. Itwas] first built by William the Conqueror, soon afterhis being seated on the throne of this kingdom; itwas subsequently repaired and beautified by his sonHenry I., who also surrounded the whole with astrong wall. Henry II. held a parliament here in1170, and king John, Henry III., Edward I., II., andIII., successively resided within its walls. The lastprince was born here, and had such affection for thespot, that he caused the old buildings to be pulleddown, and a magnificent palace to be erected on itssite, under the direction of the celebrated Williamof Wickham, and he re-established the princely orderof the Garter.

The castle is divided into two courts, the upperand the lower, separated from each other by the RoundTower, in which resides the governor. On the north