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Excursion to Strood and Cuxton
EXCURSION TO STROOD AND CUXTON.
45
where an excellent tea was partaken of at the "King's Arms" Hotel. In order to assist in the examination of the cuttings Mr. Sikes supplied four sections, three of which are here appended (see ante p. 41). A generalised view of the strata exposed in the great cuttings west of Bicester is given in the accompanying horizontal section (Fig. I I). The scale is one inch to the mile horizontal j the relative thickness of the beds are shown, the figures for each having been given already. The vertical scale is so much greater than the horizontal that the dip is greatly exaggerated j it is really quite low throughout, except in the immediate neighbourhood of a fault. The top beds of the Upper Lias form the floor only of the tunnel at the south-east end, but owing to the steady rise of the beds and the slight fall in the line, the north-western part is wholly in Upper Lias. The Upper Lias in this district is a silt composed of alternating larninse of very fine grey mud and soft fine brown more sandy material j it is remarkable for the extreme paucity of fossils. Possibly the conditions under which such rocks are accumulated favour the dissolution of at least thinner shells, for similar deposits in other regions show a similar paucity of organic remains. A hearty vote of thanks to the two Directors, and also to the Contractors for the use of the train, brought the day's proceedings to a close and return was made to London by the 7.49 p.m. train. REFERENCES. Geological Survey Map (r-inch scale), sheets 45 S.E. and 45 N W. 1893. WOODWARD, H. B.-" The Jurassic Rocks of Britain." Mem. Geol, Survey, vols. iii and iv, 1908. BARROW, G.-" The New Great Western Railway," Summary 0./ Progress uj Geol. S/trvey, etc.. for 1907, p. 141.
EXCURSION TO STROOD AND CUXTON. SATURDAY, JULY 25TH, 1908.
Director:
G.
E.
DIBLEY, F.G.S.
Excursion Secretary: MIss
PEARCE.
(Report by THE DIRECTOR.)
arnvmg at Strood (S.E.R.) Station the Director led the way towards the pier, from which it was easy to illustrate the physical features of the immediate neighbourhood. The whole of the ground between the large Chalk quarries, belonging to the
UPON
EXCURSION TO STROOD AND CUXTON.
spur of land surmounted by Frindsbury Church on the north and Rochester Bridge and the adjacent land to the south, also a large part of Strood, comprising the High Street and the land to the west of the S.E.R. for about 100 yards, consists of alluvial deposits and made earth. The recently erected Rochester Bridge Station is built on piles which were driven through 15 ft. of alluvium. Even within the memory of the writer a portion of the land, now occupied by the Council's school in the road facing the S.E.R. Station, was covered with water at high tide. While excavations were being made for the construction of the tram roads last year, a mass of Sarsen stone was discovered, one surface of which was of a mammillated character, the markings being as much as three to four inches in diameter. This block was fortunately procured by Mr. Geo. Payne, F.S.A., the Curator of the Museum, and is now to be seen just inside the Museum gate (adjoining the caretaker's portion), and may easily be observed from the street. A large slab of Roman pavement, with the stones worn by the chariot wheels, was also procured from this earlier portion of the High Street, and is placed near the above-mentioned Sarsen. The high ground to the north-west consists of Chalk, in some parts capped by Tertiary deposits-Thanet Sand chiefly. Proceeding from the pier to the High Street the large oil works of Messrs. Spencer were passed. The water necessary for these works is derived from an artesian boring. After passing St. Nicholas Church a turning to the south led the way to Messrs. Martin and Earle's extensive excavations, the party traversing alluvium as far as the railway bridge in the Cuxton Road, then up a slight ascent of brick earths to the cemetery, where between this and the river, to the east, are the brickfields known locally as Temple Farm Brickfields, from which a large number of mammalian remains, chiefly of Elephas primigenius, have been exhumed. Large quantities of Roman pottery were also found here when these brick earths were first excavated. Unfortunately the fine old house of the Knight Templars was not open to the Association. A few yards farther south, access was obtained to the Wickham (Messrs. Martin and Earle's) pits by descending from the roadside into one of the recent excavations. Fine sections were exposed capped by drift. Crossing the railway the next, and lower workings were reached by a precipitous descent. As these workings have been previously described, there is little need to say more beyond that excavations have been made farther back into the H. planus beds to the south, where the hard, blocky, iron-stained fibrous character of certain nodules, which mark this zone in many parts, were well seen. The whole of the upper part of these large pits is in the M. cor-testudinarium
EXCURSION TO STROOD AND CUXTON.
47
Chalk. Fine sections of drift were also observable, capping the lower pit, and near the tunnel which pierces the railway (S.E.R.) a good section of re-distributed chalk was exposed. A large number of typical fossils were obtained by the members from blocks, and from the sides of the pit. A halt was made for lunch, after which a move was made through the works and by the fields to Cuxton, ] ust before reaching the church the rectory gate is passed, where a few years ago some very fine paleolithic implements were discovered. Proceeding a few yards the large Tithe barn is passed and the members entered the extensive pit of Messrs. Trechmann, Weekes & Co., and were courteously met by Mr. J. G. Wilson, the Secretary. The Director then pointed out the features of this classical pit as regards geology, for many of the fine specimens in the British Museum-notably the fishes, etc., in the Harford Collection, labelled from Cuxton-were obtained from this pit; and Mr. Horace Woodward, in his" Geology of England and Wales" (and edition, 1887, p. 400) says: "among Crustacea the remarkable Cirri pede Loricula pulchella, first found in the Lower Chalk of Cuxton, near Rochester, has also," etc. As the Lower Chalk is not worked in Cuxton Parish, and the specimen referred to had been described by Mr. G. B. Sowerby, jun., in 1843, and this same specimen again by Charles Darwin in 18S1, there is no doubt that this Loricula, the only one known at the time (the present number of British specimens amounts to five), came from this pit. As this pit, in which three zones of chalk- H. plaJlUS, T. gracilis and R. cuvieri-are exposed, has been described in the writer's memoir, * there is no need for further description, except that the floor of the pit at the southern end can he only a few feet above the A. plena marls. A large number of fossils had been collected by the men, including many fine specimens of Ventriculites, fish remains, etc. One member was fortunate in obtaining, by searching in the matrix, a fine specimen of H. planus, and from the matrix, surrounding a large specimen of A. pachydiscus, weighing about 2 cwts., a fine example of Lima cretacea. Mr. ]. G. Wilson then welcomed the members to his residence, where he exhibited the implements, also human and animal remains found in connection with the prehistoric grave discovered by him in the Drift capping the southern end of the pit, the site of which was next visited by the members. Mr. Wilson also exhibited a small collection of early transitional implements found by him on Church Hill, Cuxton (about 230 O.D.), and was awarded a hearty vote of thanks for his great kindness in welcoming the Association, especially as he It
Proc, Geol, Assoc., vol. xvi, p, 486.
EXCURSION TO THE BERWYNS. had travelled from the coast to do so and had to return that evening . Mr . Wilson, havin g expressed his great pleasure in meeting the Association, the party then proceeded to Lower Halling, which was reached in good time for tea, which was served in an admirable manner, amid pleasant surroundings, by Mrs. Brigden at th e Man or H ouse. After the usual votes of thank s, the members left Halling by the 7.5 I p.m. train for hom e.
EXCURSION TO THE BERWYN S. JULY 31ST TO AUGUST 7TH (LONG EXCURSION), 1908.
Director : J. LOMAS, A.R.C.S., F. G.S. Excursion Secretary : H. KIDNER. ( R,po,.t by
THE D I?ECT O R.)
A PATHETIC interest att aches to the publication of the following account as it was completed by Mr. Lomas only a few weeks before his untimely death. Those who took part in the Berwyn Ex cursion will long remember it as one of th e most pleasant and instru ctive that th e Association has carried out, and not a little of the pleasure was due to the good temper and kindl iness, the energ y and enthusiasm, of the Leader, who had sacrificed no small fraction of his holiday in order to conduct the excursion. Mr. Lomas had arranged to visit Algiers in the Christmas Vacation in order to investigate there certain phenomena which promised to throw some new light on a subject always of great interest to him --the origin of the British Trias. He had been appointed Secretary of a British Association Committee charged with this work, and was making his way to Biskra when an unfortunate accid ent happened to the train by which he travelled, resulting in his sad death. It was just before his departure for Algiers that he revised the proof of thi s account of the Long Excursion of 1908. W. W. WATTS. The official party arrived at Oswestry on the evening of July 30th, travelling from Puddington (G.W.R.) by the 2. I 5 p.m. train. Including some who joined later, about 50 members took part in the excursions. The headquarters were at the "Wynnstay Arms " Hotel, Oswestry, but owing to lack of accommodation some of the members were put up at the" Queen's Hotel," Oswestry, and at other places in th e town.
45
where an excellent tea was partaken of at the "King's Arms" Hotel. In order to assist in the examination of the cuttings Mr. Sikes supplied four sections, three of which are here appended (see ante p. 41). A generalised view of the strata exposed in the great cuttings west of Bicester is given in the accompanying horizontal section (Fig. I I). The scale is one inch to the mile horizontal j the relative thickness of the beds are shown, the figures for each having been given already. The vertical scale is so much greater than the horizontal that the dip is greatly exaggerated j it is really quite low throughout, except in the immediate neighbourhood of a fault. The top beds of the Upper Lias form the floor only of the tunnel at the south-east end, but owing to the steady rise of the beds and the slight fall in the line, the north-western part is wholly in Upper Lias. The Upper Lias in this district is a silt composed of alternating larninse of very fine grey mud and soft fine brown more sandy material j it is remarkable for the extreme paucity of fossils. Possibly the conditions under which such rocks are accumulated favour the dissolution of at least thinner shells, for similar deposits in other regions show a similar paucity of organic remains. A hearty vote of thanks to the two Directors, and also to the Contractors for the use of the train, brought the day's proceedings to a close and return was made to London by the 7.49 p.m. train. REFERENCES. Geological Survey Map (r-inch scale), sheets 45 S.E. and 45 N W. 1893. WOODWARD, H. B.-" The Jurassic Rocks of Britain." Mem. Geol, Survey, vols. iii and iv, 1908. BARROW, G.-" The New Great Western Railway," Summary 0./ Progress uj Geol. S/trvey, etc.. for 1907, p. 141.
EXCURSION TO STROOD AND CUXTON. SATURDAY, JULY 25TH, 1908.
Director:
G.
E.
DIBLEY, F.G.S.
Excursion Secretary: MIss
PEARCE.
(Report by THE DIRECTOR.)
arnvmg at Strood (S.E.R.) Station the Director led the way towards the pier, from which it was easy to illustrate the physical features of the immediate neighbourhood. The whole of the ground between the large Chalk quarries, belonging to the
UPON
EXCURSION TO STROOD AND CUXTON.
spur of land surmounted by Frindsbury Church on the north and Rochester Bridge and the adjacent land to the south, also a large part of Strood, comprising the High Street and the land to the west of the S.E.R. for about 100 yards, consists of alluvial deposits and made earth. The recently erected Rochester Bridge Station is built on piles which were driven through 15 ft. of alluvium. Even within the memory of the writer a portion of the land, now occupied by the Council's school in the road facing the S.E.R. Station, was covered with water at high tide. While excavations were being made for the construction of the tram roads last year, a mass of Sarsen stone was discovered, one surface of which was of a mammillated character, the markings being as much as three to four inches in diameter. This block was fortunately procured by Mr. Geo. Payne, F.S.A., the Curator of the Museum, and is now to be seen just inside the Museum gate (adjoining the caretaker's portion), and may easily be observed from the street. A large slab of Roman pavement, with the stones worn by the chariot wheels, was also procured from this earlier portion of the High Street, and is placed near the above-mentioned Sarsen. The high ground to the north-west consists of Chalk, in some parts capped by Tertiary deposits-Thanet Sand chiefly. Proceeding from the pier to the High Street the large oil works of Messrs. Spencer were passed. The water necessary for these works is derived from an artesian boring. After passing St. Nicholas Church a turning to the south led the way to Messrs. Martin and Earle's extensive excavations, the party traversing alluvium as far as the railway bridge in the Cuxton Road, then up a slight ascent of brick earths to the cemetery, where between this and the river, to the east, are the brickfields known locally as Temple Farm Brickfields, from which a large number of mammalian remains, chiefly of Elephas primigenius, have been exhumed. Large quantities of Roman pottery were also found here when these brick earths were first excavated. Unfortunately the fine old house of the Knight Templars was not open to the Association. A few yards farther south, access was obtained to the Wickham (Messrs. Martin and Earle's) pits by descending from the roadside into one of the recent excavations. Fine sections were exposed capped by drift. Crossing the railway the next, and lower workings were reached by a precipitous descent. As these workings have been previously described, there is little need to say more beyond that excavations have been made farther back into the H. planus beds to the south, where the hard, blocky, iron-stained fibrous character of certain nodules, which mark this zone in many parts, were well seen. The whole of the upper part of these large pits is in the M. cor-testudinarium
EXCURSION TO STROOD AND CUXTON.
47
Chalk. Fine sections of drift were also observable, capping the lower pit, and near the tunnel which pierces the railway (S.E.R.) a good section of re-distributed chalk was exposed. A large number of typical fossils were obtained by the members from blocks, and from the sides of the pit. A halt was made for lunch, after which a move was made through the works and by the fields to Cuxton, ] ust before reaching the church the rectory gate is passed, where a few years ago some very fine paleolithic implements were discovered. Proceeding a few yards the large Tithe barn is passed and the members entered the extensive pit of Messrs. Trechmann, Weekes & Co., and were courteously met by Mr. J. G. Wilson, the Secretary. The Director then pointed out the features of this classical pit as regards geology, for many of the fine specimens in the British Museum-notably the fishes, etc., in the Harford Collection, labelled from Cuxton-were obtained from this pit; and Mr. Horace Woodward, in his" Geology of England and Wales" (and edition, 1887, p. 400) says: "among Crustacea the remarkable Cirri pede Loricula pulchella, first found in the Lower Chalk of Cuxton, near Rochester, has also," etc. As the Lower Chalk is not worked in Cuxton Parish, and the specimen referred to had been described by Mr. G. B. Sowerby, jun., in 1843, and this same specimen again by Charles Darwin in 18S1, there is no doubt that this Loricula, the only one known at the time (the present number of British specimens amounts to five), came from this pit. As this pit, in which three zones of chalk- H. plaJlUS, T. gracilis and R. cuvieri-are exposed, has been described in the writer's memoir, * there is no need for further description, except that the floor of the pit at the southern end can he only a few feet above the A. plena marls. A large number of fossils had been collected by the men, including many fine specimens of Ventriculites, fish remains, etc. One member was fortunate in obtaining, by searching in the matrix, a fine specimen of H. planus, and from the matrix, surrounding a large specimen of A. pachydiscus, weighing about 2 cwts., a fine example of Lima cretacea. Mr. ]. G. Wilson then welcomed the members to his residence, where he exhibited the implements, also human and animal remains found in connection with the prehistoric grave discovered by him in the Drift capping the southern end of the pit, the site of which was next visited by the members. Mr. Wilson also exhibited a small collection of early transitional implements found by him on Church Hill, Cuxton (about 230 O.D.), and was awarded a hearty vote of thanks for his great kindness in welcoming the Association, especially as he It
Proc, Geol, Assoc., vol. xvi, p, 486.
EXCURSION TO THE BERWYNS. had travelled from the coast to do so and had to return that evening . Mr . Wilson, havin g expressed his great pleasure in meeting the Association, the party then proceeded to Lower Halling, which was reached in good time for tea, which was served in an admirable manner, amid pleasant surroundings, by Mrs. Brigden at th e Man or H ouse. After the usual votes of thank s, the members left Halling by the 7.5 I p.m. train for hom e.
EXCURSION TO THE BERWYN S. JULY 31ST TO AUGUST 7TH (LONG EXCURSION), 1908.
Director : J. LOMAS, A.R.C.S., F. G.S. Excursion Secretary : H. KIDNER. ( R,po,.t by
THE D I?ECT O R.)
A PATHETIC interest att aches to the publication of the following account as it was completed by Mr. Lomas only a few weeks before his untimely death. Those who took part in the Berwyn Ex cursion will long remember it as one of th e most pleasant and instru ctive that th e Association has carried out, and not a little of the pleasure was due to the good temper and kindl iness, the energ y and enthusiasm, of the Leader, who had sacrificed no small fraction of his holiday in order to conduct the excursion. Mr. Lomas had arranged to visit Algiers in the Christmas Vacation in order to investigate there certain phenomena which promised to throw some new light on a subject always of great interest to him --the origin of the British Trias. He had been appointed Secretary of a British Association Committee charged with this work, and was making his way to Biskra when an unfortunate accid ent happened to the train by which he travelled, resulting in his sad death. It was just before his departure for Algiers that he revised the proof of thi s account of the Long Excursion of 1908. W. W. WATTS. The official party arrived at Oswestry on the evening of July 30th, travelling from Puddington (G.W.R.) by the 2. I 5 p.m. train. Including some who joined later, about 50 members took part in the excursions. The headquarters were at the "Wynnstay Arms " Hotel, Oswestry, but owing to lack of accommodation some of the members were put up at the" Queen's Hotel," Oswestry, and at other places in th e town.