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EXCURSION TO MAY HILL AND ROSS. 



On Friday, the 13th of Jiine, undismayed by the unpromising aspect of 

 the weather, the Woolhopians mustered at the Barr's Court Station to the 

 number of 20, and took advantage of the Hereford and Gloucester 9"45 a.m. 

 train for transit tq Longhope. At this station their number was reinforced 

 by the Rev. Mr. Jones, of Westbury, and the Revs. — Price and White, and 

 after a pause to await the train from Gloucester — which it was supposed might 

 bring an extra contingent, and possibly the Rev. W. Symonds, who had \mder- 

 taken to guide the Club to May Hill, as well as in a partial examination of a 

 quarry near the station — the President and members present made their way, 

 under a serener sky than they had anticipated, by a shady lane and across the 

 turnpike road to the upper ground, where May Hill proper commences. As 

 they were anxious to effect a junction as soon as possible with Mr. Symonds, 

 the pedestrians did not tarry long at the broken and contorted quarry near this 

 point, but pressed on until near the picturesque clump of Scotch firs which 

 siumount the hill they hailed their guide and lecturer, who, accompanied by 

 Miss Jardine and his son, had ascended the hill from Newent. Although 

 about this time certain ominous thunder claps foreboded storm, and counselled 

 the expediency of Mr. Symonds's address being delivered "in the dry," if 

 possible, the Club were enabled to make a rapid preliminary survey of the 

 magnificent panorama so well and succinctly described in pp. 146-7 of the 

 " Records of the Rocks." The force having been recalled to consistency by Mr. 

 Thompson's bugle, Mr. Symonds then delivered a most interesting lectiire, in 

 which the geology, topography, archaeology, and legendary lore connected with 

 May HiU were happily set forth : — 



May HDl is a somewhat celebrated locality to the geologist inasmuch as 

 the May Hill Rocks are a synonym for that important group of beds which 

 lie at the base of the Upper SUurian deposits, and which constitute the Upper 

 Llandovery Rocks of Murchison and the geological surveyors. The name 

 " May" is believed by some to be derived from "Maia," the mother of Mer- ' 

 cury, known to Roman times ; and by others to the fact that in bygone days 

 the merry makers from Gloucester danced upon the green, where now stand 

 the Scotch firs planted upon its summit, as some say, to celebrate the Restora- 

 , tion of King Charles II. The geology of May HiU may be briefly described 

 as very similar to that of Woolhope, inasmuch as no older rocks are exposed 



