THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB. 267 



Thomas W. Reader, F.G.S. (the Hon. Librarian), who kindly acted for the 

 Secretaries during their absence on vacation. 



The Editor is much indebted to Dr. Salter for the ensuing report of this 

 meeting. 



The party left Fenchurch Street at 2.6 p.m., and on arriving at Leigh-on- 

 Sea ascended the steep slope which leads to Leigh Church, and after some 

 difficulty obtained conveyances to Thundersley. 



The first section visited was situated a little east of the Reservoirs, where 

 5 ft. or 6 ft. of gravel resting on sand was exposed, at about 250 ft. O.D. 



Dr. Salter pointed out that the Rayleigh Hills, upon one of the highest parts 

 of which they were then standing, were formed of London-clay, which was 

 overlaid by Bagshot-sand. AbDve these, patches of gravel similar to that now 

 before them occurred, and these by preserving the subjacent strata from the 

 action of denuding agencies, had preserved them, while all around had been 

 denuded away. The Director then drew attention to the composition of the 

 gravel, which, in addition to debris from Tertiary strata, e.g., sarsens, flint, 

 pebbles, etc., contained a considerable amount of Lower Greensand Chert from 

 the Wealden area to the south of the Thames. Some of the gravel had been 

 consolidated into a hard ferruginous conglomerate. If the hypothesis that these 

 outlying patches of gravel were formed by former streams from the Wealden 

 Area were correct, it showed that since the gravels were deposited the lower 

 part of the Thames Valley, as we know it, had been initiated. 



In comparing this deposit with that seen at Beggar Hill earlier in the year 1 

 it was pointed out that the Bunter debris and Igneous rocks present at the latter 

 were absent in the former. Also nothing derived from Jurassic strata or Basalt 

 was observed at either of them. 



Dr. Salter also remarked that Eoliths were likely to occur here, and that he 

 had obtained one which had satisfied Mr. A. S. Kennard, F.G.S., who also 

 expressed the opinion that the gravel was a likely one for their occurrence. 



The remarkably fine view from this point was greatly admired, the Langdon 

 Hills standing out well to the east.' 



A few days before the meeting some Essex papers stated that discoveries of 

 flint implements had been made at Thundersley, aud also that a band of marine 

 shells had been found there. Some members investigated these reports, and 

 found that a few well-worked neolithic flakes had been found by Mr. Mabey in 

 his garden, 2 and the Director was able subsequently to examine the "marine 

 shells," which proved to be ferruginous concretions from the Bagshot strata. 



Proceeding to Dawes Heath, the party were shown a section in what is known, 

 as the Bramble Hill Pit, which from the Director had recently obtained a fair- 

 sized boulder of green Oldbury Chert. The gravel was similar to that already 

 seen, and rested on Bagshot Sand. 



Another section close by was visited, and then a sharp walk through the 

 woods brought the party to the " Crown " at Hadleigh, where tea was obtained. 

 Some few members found time to examine Hadleigh Church, into the wall of 

 which a large sarsen has been built, and to visit the ruins of Hadleigh Castle. 



In replying to the vote of thanks proposed by the President the Director 



1 Proceedings Geol. Association, Vol. xix., p. 317. 

 2 These Flints were subsequently exhibited at the meeting of the Club on November 7th. 



