ENGLISH DOWNLAND - By H. J. Massingham - PREFACE - THIS is a book of personal travel, adventure, and observation. At the same time, it is a more or less inclusive survey of Englands chalk, its boundaries, geology, physical features, vegetation, landscape, architecture, and prehistory. It has been necessary, therefore, to supplement my own experience of the downland country with what literature certain sections of it exists. I hake run my eye over a good many books, but those to which I am principally indebted are the following Mr. Heywood Sumners The Ancient Earthworks of Cranborne Chase Dr. J. P. Williams-Freeams An Introduction to Field ArchoZo as IZhstrated by FIarnpbire bf essrs . Geoffrey Clarks and W. Harding Thompsons The Dorset Landscape, and Dr. Cecil Curwens Prehistoric hsex. Hi isley Coxs E reen Roads of England and Bellocs The Old Roa B have been a grateful influence rather than guides. These are all very good books, but the one I most enjoyed and so made the best use of was Dr. Williams-Freemans. Its wickedly cumbrous and misleading title affords no idea of what it really is the ideal of what a book about a given area ought to be. It embraces everything of interest in the county except its post-Norman architecture and more recent history it is written with grace and ease its knowledge is unfathomable, and its humanistic point of view enriches the whole with warmth and colour. It is poles apart from the specialization and standardization which are the gods of our age, and I hope the reader will convict me of a similar if humbler heresy in these pages. Lastly, I wish very cordially to thank my friend, Mr. R. P. Ross Williamson, who, out of the goodness of his heart and inmemory of our happy journeys over the downs in company...............