ON THE SALT SPRINGS OF WORCESTERSHIRE. 361 



3rd. Calcareous Conglomerates. 



4th. Lower Red Sandstone. 



I proceed now to point out the different parts of Worces- 

 tershire where these subdivisions of the New Red Sandstone 

 formation may be observed, and I shall begin with the 

 lowest of the series, the Lower Red Sandstone, We have this 

 shewn where the sandstone flanks the Malvern, Berrow, and 

 Abberley Hills. It has the character of a conglomerate, in 

 which are imbedded portions of Quartz and the older Trap 

 rocks. Rosebury Hill, near Knightsford Bridge, is a rock of this 

 kind, which is very characteristic. These Red Sandstone Con- 

 glomerates in the neighbourhood of the transition rocks, are, 

 therefore, the lowest of the deposited beds of the New Red 

 Sandstone in this county. 



2ndly. Calcareous Conglomerates. There is a well developed 

 calcareous conglomerate zone, lying above that just described, 

 and which is largely and beautifully exposed on the eastern 

 faces of the Clent Hills. The chief imbedded fragments are 

 of limestone, and they are largely burnt for lime to the east of 

 the Lickey and Clent Hills, where they are of irregular thick- 

 nesses. These strata are repeated between Kidderminster and 

 Bridgnorth, 



3rd. Red Sandstone and Conglomerates. In parts of Worces- 

 tershire where the pure sandy beds prevail, particularly north 

 and south of Kidderminster and about Bewdley, there are large 

 districts of rye land, which gives to the agriculture in these 

 situations a peculiarity that must strike the most casual ob- 

 server. These beds, which are in some parts very thick, may 

 be emphatically called Red Sandstone. We may observe sections 

 of them near Kidderminster and Bewdley, at Hartlebury, near 

 Ombersley, Witley, and Hartley. The direction of this division 

 of the sandstone formation is south-westerly. 



4th. The Red and Green Marls are met with in another 

 division of the county, commencing to the north of Droitwich, 

 and continuing in a line to Worcester, to the Old Hills, to 

 Severn Stoke, and to Upton ; thus running nearly parallel to the 

 former subdivision. 



Here then we come to the upper group of the great system 

 of newer Red Sandstone, which more properly may be considered 

 as red marl ; associated with which is the bed of rock-salt, ex- 

 tending beneath it, and the brine springs in connexion with it. 

 The prevailing rock around Droitwich appears to be a fine 

 grained calcareo-argillaceous marl, but it is so ill laid bare and 

 is so little exposed, that the composition of the strata generally 

 is not readily ascertained. Sections of it may, however, be 

 observed at the entrance to Droitwich from Worcester; imme- 

 diately out of Droitwich on the Hanbury road ; near the turnpike 

 on the road to Kidderminster; at Dodderhill; and at Brier Mill, 

 near Westwood, It varies greatly in all these places — 1st, from 



