ancient raised tract of forest nearly 40 miles (64 km) wide in southeastern England, separating the London basin from the English Channel coast. The Weald (Saxon: Andredsweald) is developed on an eroded dome of varied rock strata, and the chalk Downs (both North and South) compose a horseshoe-shaped rim around the area. Rivers drain both north and south through the rim, reflecting that the general drainage pattern predates the erosion of the Wealden dome. Much forest has been cleared, but the area remains one of the most heavily wooded parts of England.