ith Mr. Walter Smythe, who was
pressed to sleep at Brambridge, but declined, saying that he liked to
have all his little comforts about him. When daylight came, the poor man
was found seated on the top of his chaise, the water flowing through the
windows below; for the post boy had taken a wrong turn, and, being afraid
to move, had been forced to remain in the river till the morning. A far
worse disaster befel the Newton family on their way to a funeral. It is
described by one of the bearers: "When the cart turned over, the corpse
was on the foot bridge. It was a very wet day, and the wind was blowing
furiously at the time. It had a great effect on the cart, as it was a
narrow cart with a tilt on, and there was a long wood sill at the side of
the river. That dropping of the sill caused the accident. I think there
were five females in the cart and the driver. The water was as much as
4ft. deep and running very sharp, so myself and others went into the
water to fetch them out, and when we got to the cart they were all on the
top of the other, with their heads just out of the water. They could not
go on to church with the corpse, and we had a very hard job to save the
horse from being drowned, as his head was but just out of the water."

All through the time of the long war with France there was here, as well
as everywhere else around the coast, fear of a landing of the French. The
flat-bottomed boats to bring the French over were actually ready at
Boulogne, and the troops mustered to come across in them. On our side,
volunteers were in training in case of need, and preparations were made
for sending off the women and children inland on the first news of the
enemy landing. Not very many years ago there were still to be seen in a
barn at Hursley the planks prepared to fit as seats into the waggons that
were to carry them away. And a family living here are said to have kept
everything packed up, even the fireirons, and to have stirred up the fire
with a stick during a whole winter. However, by God's blessing and our
fleets and armies, the danger was kept from our doors.

With the activity that followed upon the peace came a great deal of road-
making. The present high road between Winchester and Southampton was
then made, and the way cut through the hills--Otterbourne Hill and
Compton Hill on either side. This led to the main part of the
inhabitants settling in the village street, instead of round the old
Chu