File:A short history of England (1904) (14777245982).jpg

Identifier: shorthistoryofen00chey (find matches)
Title: A short history of England
Year: 1904 (1900s)
Authors: Cheyney, Edward Potts, 1861-1947
Subjects:
Publisher: Boston, New York (etc.) Ginn and company
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: Sloan Foundation

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r courses of many ofthe rivers. The Fens formed a broad, marshyexpanse of several hundredsquare miles in the eastof England. They werescarcely above the level ofthe sea. and formed a wilderness practically impassable and unin-habitable, except here and there where low hills of gravelly soilrose above the water. This region and several similar morasseswere even wilder and more impenetrable than the forests. Thus in early times but a small part of the land was open tohabitation. Strips along the seacoast. steep hillsides bordering theriver courses, bare moors and hilltops, occasional open stretchesof the rolling country, formed the only dwelling places for earlymen. Even these open distriets were divided from one another,hemmed in and bounded by the vast forests and swamps. Theexistence of the widespreading forests and fens exercised a deepinfluence on the early history of the country, ami affected itstrongly even in later times. The clearing and draining ot the THE GEOGRAPHY OF ENGLAND
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Forests and Swamps of Early England IO A SHORT HISTORY OF ENGLAND forest and swamp land for human occupation was the gradualwork of civilization through many long centuries. Roman engi-neers and soldiers, industrious monks of the middle ages, villeinfarmers and enterprising landowners of successive races contrib-uted their share to its accomplishment, and it has only beencompleted within the last two hundred years. 6. Natural Products.—There is scarcely one of the familiarmineral substances which is not found in greater or less quantitiesin England, and most of them are worked to some extent. Tinis the characteristic product of Cornwall in the southwest, and hasalways attracted attention, being a comparatively rare metal. Itwas highly valued in early ages. Mixed with copper it formsbronze, a metal less difficult to work and yet capable of taking abetter edge than either the copper or the tin of which it is com-posed, and therefore very useful before men had learned to workiron. Lead

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