AND POSITION.

7

land, form the large bason of Brading Haven, falling into thesea at the place called the Dover, near old St. Helen’s church.The Yar rises close under St. Catherine’s Hill at Niton; andthat parish, together with Whitwell, Godshill, Arreton, New-church, Shanklin, Brading , Yaverland, and St. Helen’s, aremostly situated in this valley. To it may also be referred thevery small basons of Shanklin and Luccombe, whose petty streamsrun into the Eastern Sea , through those singular chasms in thecliff, called Shanklin and Luccombe Chines.

The third valley is the North-eastern. This is bounded to thesouth by the chalk range; to the west, by the eastern hills ofthe valley of Medina; to the north and east, by the Solent. It is,in fact, a succession of small valleys, each opening separately tothe sea. Of these, beginning from the west, King’s Key is thefirst. Wotton River, is the next, and most extensive. Then,Quarr Abbey, Binstead, Ryde, and Nettlestone. The streamswhich run through these valleys are all very inconsiderable. Partof Arreton parish, with the parishes of Woolton, Binstead, andpart of Newchurch, are situated in this valley.

The fourth valley is the North-western. This is bounded tothe east by the western hills of the vale of Medina, of which thegreater part are in the forest of Parkhurst; to the south, by thechalk range ; to the west, by the high land above Colwell andTotland Bay; and to the north, by the sea. Like the North­ eastern bason, it is a succession of separate valleys, but is moreflat and marshy. Gurnard’s Bay is the first and smallest ofthese vales. Next Thorney. Then the extensive inlet of New-town, branching into many shallow arms ; and lastly, the singularvalley of Freshwater, reaching from Yarmouth on the northern