[3] The points where the pilgrims obviously left the Old Road are
Compton (p. 160) and Burford Bridge (p. 181). They probably left it
after Merstham (p. 205) and perhaps after Chilham (p. 271), while they
certainly confused the record of the passages of the Wey (p. 165), and
perhaps of the Medway (p. 242). As for their supposed excursion into
the plain near Oxted (p. 213), I can find no proof of it. The places
where other tracks coming in impair the Old Road are on either side of
the Mole (p. 181), the Darent (p. 222), and the Medway (p. 237),
where, along such river valleys, such tributaries would naturally
lead.
[4] See note on p. 158.
[5] In the case of three--those of Gatton, Arthur's Seat, and
Godmersham--an excellent reason can at once be discovered. The Road
goes just north of the crest, in order to avoid the long circuit of a
jutting-out spur with its re-entrant curve. For that re-entrant curve,
it must be remembered, would be worse going, and wetter, than even the
short excursion to the north of the crest. In the fourth case,
however, where the Road goes to the north for a few hundred yards
behind Weston Wood, I can offer no explanation of the cause. It is
sufficiently remarkable that in all this great distance there should
be but that one true exception to the rule, and a characteristic so
universal permits me, I think, to take it for certain in one doubtful
place (Chilham) that the Road has followed the sunny side of the
slope.
[6] There is another, less clear, beyond Titsey, another beyond
Chevening, and there are traces of another above Lenham.
[7] The 6-inch Ordnance Map would add Albury (see p. 174).