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Excursion to Cheam, Ewell, and Epsom
EXCURSION T O C H EAM , EW E LL , A ~D EPSO ~ [ .
167
From the overl ying drift the Presid ent sec ured a portion of an "elephant's tusk," and Dr. Blackmore, of th e Salisbury Museum, one or two E oliths. From here the party drove back to Warminster and partook of te a at Mrs. Down 's R efreshment Rooms, and, aft er a hearty vote of thanks to the D irector, returned to L ondon by th e 5.34 train. R EF E R E ~ C E S.
Su rvey Map, Sheet 297. New S eries. 1836. FITT ON, W H._Cl S trata bet ween the C ha lk and th e O xfo rd Ooli te. " Trans. Geol Soc., ser. 2, vol. iv. 1896. J UKES-BROWNE, A. J._Cl T he F ossils of the W a r minst er Greensan d.' Ceo! },f.g., Dec. iv.. vol. iii, p. 26 1. 1900. J UKES-BROWNE, A. J.- " The Cr eta ceou s Rock s of Bri tain ." Vol. i. " Ga ult and U pp er G reens and of England ." M_m. Gro]. Sur vey . 1901. JUKES-BROWNE, A . J. , AND SCANES, JOHN.-" The U pper G ree nsand and Chloriti c Marl of Mere and Maiden Bradley in W ilt shire." QU2,·t. JOUY1t. Ceo!. Soc., vel , lvii, p. 96.
EXCURSION TO CE-IEAM, EWELL, AND EPSOM. S ATURDAY, JU N E 8TH , 1901.
Director .' W. P. D.
S TEIJI.lING,
F .G.S.
E x cursion Secretary : A. E. SALTER, B.Sc., F. G.S. ( R eport by T HE D I RECTOR.)
IN
1899 the Director con ducted an excursion of th e Geologists ' Association to the west of London to see some sections showing the variation in the London Clay ; the excursion this year (1901 ) was to the south-west, and to see the variation in the constitution of the Reading Series in neighbouring pits. On arri val at Ch eam at 2.45 the part y, augmented by the cycling contingent, walked through the village northward to the brickfield owned by the Sutton and Cheam Brick Co., Ltd., passing on th e way from the Ch alk and over the outcrop of the Thanet Sand. The Thanet Sand is not exposed on the surface, but is said to be seen in the cellars of an old house south of th e church. The party was met at the hrickfield by Mr. W. J. Bell, the manager, who conducted th em to the fine section in th e R eading Beds just north of the churc h. H ere the Director made a few remarks on the exposure, which was in good condition, and on the narrowness of the outcrop, a nd q uoted the President and other a uthors with reference to the bed s and the conditions under which they were laid down. Mr. Bell then kindly spoke ab out the bed s from a brick- and tile-making point of view, and mention ed the use
168
EXCURSION TO CHEAM, EWELL, AND EPSOM.
of a certain narrow and discontinuous bed for making fire-bricks for lining gas-retorts. A hole had been sunk at the bottom of the pit into the Thanet Sand, about 6 ft. of which was seen, just above which, in the "Bottom Bed," a greenish grey sandy loam, shark's teeth were found. No oyster-beds occurred in this pit, but they were to be seen in a brickfield a short distance to the east. The section showed about 20 ft. of the Reading Beds, and the surface of the ground was about 200 ft. O.D. Retracing their steps northward and a few yards down the hill, the Director pointed out to the party a section in the London Clay, the identity of which was established not only by the difference in its clayey nature, but also by the immense number of septaria to be seen. After a vote of thanks to Mr. Bell the party made their way back through the village, and then by Nonsuch Park Avenue, where the site of Nonsuch Palace was pointed out, to the historic section in the Reading Beds at Nonsuch Brick Kiln, east of Ewell. This section was visited in 1886 under the leadership of Mr. H. H. French, who published the section then to be seen there. Owing to the pit on the north side being partly full of water, the complete section could not be seen, but below redeposited material, with flints and pebbles, beds of sandy loams and red and mottled clays were seen dipping to the north. On the south side of the pit grey glauconite sand, loamy clay, and tough blue clay were seen passing downwards into the Tbanet Sand. The beds in this pit were first noticed by Mr. J. Middleton in 1812, and the firebricks for lining gas retorts made from one of the beds are famous over a large part of England. Continuing the walk to Epsom by the springs of the Hog's Mill Brook, which are seen rising through the Thanet Sand, the party then visited the Linton Lane brickfield, an extensive opening to the north of the road. This section, at an elevation of 168 feet O.D., showed in different parts of the field the various beds of the Reading Series very well, particularly the fire-clay; but no section down to the Thanet Sand was seen, owing to water having percolated into the hollows of the pit and filled them up. Before leaving for Epsom the party entered the almost workedout pit on the opposite side of the road, just south of which, in the railway cutting, the Tbanet Sand is to be seen. After tea the Director, replying to the vote of thanks proposed by the President, expressed a hope that they were not disappointed with the excursion, which, though not affording great interest as regards its physical geology or scenery, was undoubtedly interesting from a stratigraphical point of view.
EXCURSION TO ORPINGTON. REFERE~CES.
New 1 inch Ordnance Map, Sheet 270. Geological Survey Map, Sheet 8. 1872. \'VHITAKIlR, \V.-" Geology of the London Basin." Mem. ClO!. Survey. 1886. FRIlNCH, H. H.-Excursion to Cheam, Ewell, and Epsom. Proc, Ceo! Assoc., vol. ix., p. 532. 188g. WHITAKER, W.-" Geology of London." Vol. i, pp. 5, log, 126, 241,489, Mem. Ceo]. Suroey;
EXCURSION TO ORPINGTON. SATURDAY, JUNE 15TH, 190I,
Directors: T. V. HOLMES, F.G.S., and C. W. OSMAN, A.M.LC.E. Excursion Secretary: E. W. SKEATS, B.Sc., F.G.S. (Report by T. V. HOLMES.)
THE object of this excursion was to obtain another view of the sections exposed at the north of Orpington railway station during the widening of the line. When these sections were visited in September, 1900, the Thanet Sand was clearly shown close to the railway station, and the shell beds of the Woolwich series were exposed only at, and four or five feet above, the level of the line east of Place Farm. On this occasion the Thanet Sand was hidden by fallen material, but the Woolwich Beds were admirably shown. Standing on the eastern bank of the cutting, where a footpath crosses the line, nearly midway between the railway station and the north-western corner of Clay Wood, the party obtained an excellent view of the Woolwich Beds on the opposite side. As quoted in the report of the previous Orpington excursion, in September, 1900, Mr. Whitaker, in "The Geology of London, and of part of the Thames Valley," says of this cutting that it must have given a fine section when clear. On this occasion, after a few general remarks from Mr. Holmes and the President, Mr. Osman unfolded a carefully drawn and elaborate section showing the details of the various beds exposed in the cutting during the widening, the result of his observations as engineer. The party then descended to the western side to note the characteristics of the various strata. The variegated clays seen at Cheam and Ewell on the previous Saturday were almost entirely absent, and were represented by bands of dark or even black clay. The diagram prepared from Mr. Osman's drawings, however, obviates the necessity of noting the details in writing. (Fig. 14.)
167
From the overl ying drift the Presid ent sec ured a portion of an "elephant's tusk," and Dr. Blackmore, of th e Salisbury Museum, one or two E oliths. From here the party drove back to Warminster and partook of te a at Mrs. Down 's R efreshment Rooms, and, aft er a hearty vote of thanks to the D irector, returned to L ondon by th e 5.34 train. R EF E R E ~ C E S.
Su rvey Map, Sheet 297. New S eries. 1836. FITT ON, W H._Cl S trata bet ween the C ha lk and th e O xfo rd Ooli te. " Trans. Geol Soc., ser. 2, vol. iv. 1896. J UKES-BROWNE, A. J._Cl T he F ossils of the W a r minst er Greensan d.' Ceo! },f.g., Dec. iv.. vol. iii, p. 26 1. 1900. J UKES-BROWNE, A. J.- " The Cr eta ceou s Rock s of Bri tain ." Vol. i. " Ga ult and U pp er G reens and of England ." M_m. Gro]. Sur vey . 1901. JUKES-BROWNE, A . J. , AND SCANES, JOHN.-" The U pper G ree nsand and Chloriti c Marl of Mere and Maiden Bradley in W ilt shire." QU2,·t. JOUY1t. Ceo!. Soc., vel , lvii, p. 96.
EXCURSION TO CE-IEAM, EWELL, AND EPSOM. S ATURDAY, JU N E 8TH , 1901.
Director .' W. P. D.
S TEIJI.lING,
F .G.S.
E x cursion Secretary : A. E. SALTER, B.Sc., F. G.S. ( R eport by T HE D I RECTOR.)
IN
1899 the Director con ducted an excursion of th e Geologists ' Association to the west of London to see some sections showing the variation in the London Clay ; the excursion this year (1901 ) was to the south-west, and to see the variation in the constitution of the Reading Series in neighbouring pits. On arri val at Ch eam at 2.45 the part y, augmented by the cycling contingent, walked through the village northward to the brickfield owned by the Sutton and Cheam Brick Co., Ltd., passing on th e way from the Ch alk and over the outcrop of the Thanet Sand. The Thanet Sand is not exposed on the surface, but is said to be seen in the cellars of an old house south of th e church. The party was met at the hrickfield by Mr. W. J. Bell, the manager, who conducted th em to the fine section in th e R eading Beds just north of the churc h. H ere the Director made a few remarks on the exposure, which was in good condition, and on the narrowness of the outcrop, a nd q uoted the President and other a uthors with reference to the bed s and the conditions under which they were laid down. Mr. Bell then kindly spoke ab out the bed s from a brick- and tile-making point of view, and mention ed the use
168
EXCURSION TO CHEAM, EWELL, AND EPSOM.
of a certain narrow and discontinuous bed for making fire-bricks for lining gas-retorts. A hole had been sunk at the bottom of the pit into the Thanet Sand, about 6 ft. of which was seen, just above which, in the "Bottom Bed," a greenish grey sandy loam, shark's teeth were found. No oyster-beds occurred in this pit, but they were to be seen in a brickfield a short distance to the east. The section showed about 20 ft. of the Reading Beds, and the surface of the ground was about 200 ft. O.D. Retracing their steps northward and a few yards down the hill, the Director pointed out to the party a section in the London Clay, the identity of which was established not only by the difference in its clayey nature, but also by the immense number of septaria to be seen. After a vote of thanks to Mr. Bell the party made their way back through the village, and then by Nonsuch Park Avenue, where the site of Nonsuch Palace was pointed out, to the historic section in the Reading Beds at Nonsuch Brick Kiln, east of Ewell. This section was visited in 1886 under the leadership of Mr. H. H. French, who published the section then to be seen there. Owing to the pit on the north side being partly full of water, the complete section could not be seen, but below redeposited material, with flints and pebbles, beds of sandy loams and red and mottled clays were seen dipping to the north. On the south side of the pit grey glauconite sand, loamy clay, and tough blue clay were seen passing downwards into the Tbanet Sand. The beds in this pit were first noticed by Mr. J. Middleton in 1812, and the firebricks for lining gas retorts made from one of the beds are famous over a large part of England. Continuing the walk to Epsom by the springs of the Hog's Mill Brook, which are seen rising through the Thanet Sand, the party then visited the Linton Lane brickfield, an extensive opening to the north of the road. This section, at an elevation of 168 feet O.D., showed in different parts of the field the various beds of the Reading Series very well, particularly the fire-clay; but no section down to the Thanet Sand was seen, owing to water having percolated into the hollows of the pit and filled them up. Before leaving for Epsom the party entered the almost workedout pit on the opposite side of the road, just south of which, in the railway cutting, the Tbanet Sand is to be seen. After tea the Director, replying to the vote of thanks proposed by the President, expressed a hope that they were not disappointed with the excursion, which, though not affording great interest as regards its physical geology or scenery, was undoubtedly interesting from a stratigraphical point of view.
EXCURSION TO ORPINGTON. REFERE~CES.
New 1 inch Ordnance Map, Sheet 270. Geological Survey Map, Sheet 8. 1872. \'VHITAKIlR, \V.-" Geology of the London Basin." Mem. ClO!. Survey. 1886. FRIlNCH, H. H.-Excursion to Cheam, Ewell, and Epsom. Proc, Ceo! Assoc., vol. ix., p. 532. 188g. WHITAKER, W.-" Geology of London." Vol. i, pp. 5, log, 126, 241,489, Mem. Ceo]. Suroey;
EXCURSION TO ORPINGTON. SATURDAY, JUNE 15TH, 190I,
Directors: T. V. HOLMES, F.G.S., and C. W. OSMAN, A.M.LC.E. Excursion Secretary: E. W. SKEATS, B.Sc., F.G.S. (Report by T. V. HOLMES.)
THE object of this excursion was to obtain another view of the sections exposed at the north of Orpington railway station during the widening of the line. When these sections were visited in September, 1900, the Thanet Sand was clearly shown close to the railway station, and the shell beds of the Woolwich series were exposed only at, and four or five feet above, the level of the line east of Place Farm. On this occasion the Thanet Sand was hidden by fallen material, but the Woolwich Beds were admirably shown. Standing on the eastern bank of the cutting, where a footpath crosses the line, nearly midway between the railway station and the north-western corner of Clay Wood, the party obtained an excellent view of the Woolwich Beds on the opposite side. As quoted in the report of the previous Orpington excursion, in September, 1900, Mr. Whitaker, in "The Geology of London, and of part of the Thames Valley," says of this cutting that it must have given a fine section when clear. On this occasion, after a few general remarks from Mr. Holmes and the President, Mr. Osman unfolded a carefully drawn and elaborate section showing the details of the various beds exposed in the cutting during the widening, the result of his observations as engineer. The party then descended to the western side to note the characteristics of the various strata. The variegated clays seen at Cheam and Ewell on the previous Saturday were almost entirely absent, and were represented by bands of dark or even black clay. The diagram prepared from Mr. Osman's drawings, however, obviates the necessity of noting the details in writing. (Fig. 14.)