The extensive district of The Wiltshire Downs, which embraces the larger part of the south eastern division of the country, consists of a succession of undulating chalk hills, intersected by numerous valleys, some of which are of considerable extent. One of the largest of these extends from the neighborhood of Salisbury for many miles in a north westerly direction, and is watered by the River Wiley, a stream which indirectly gives its name to the county. Taking its rise near Kingston Deverill, it flows at first in a north easterly direction towards Warminster, but, before reaching the latter place, takes a sweep to the right, and, flowing to the south east by Heytesbury, the double village of Codford St. Peter and Codford St. Mary, Stockton, Steeple Langford, and Wishford, joins the Nalde a little below the ancient town of Wilton. It is from the Wily that Wilton derives its name, which in its turn it passes on to the country of which it was formerly the principal town. An uneventful course the river holds, as it wanders along the wide, flat valley, through plashy water meadows, by mill, and bridge, and stately park. As it leaves Codford it receives a slender tributary, and, spreading itself out at the meeting of the waters over a broad shallow bed, is forded by the lane leading to Hindon, and by the side of the ford runs the long footbridge formed partly of wooden planks, partly of slabs of stone.