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under the same delusion, or he never could have written the following. In allu- 

 ding to Woolhope, he says : " One of the most striking features for the consider- 

 ation of the Geologist is, that neither the central dome, nor the surrounding 

 ridges, including the outer encircling ring of Ludlow rocks, oflFer a trace of drifted 

 matter, or gravel, or even any remains of the various strata which must, in the 

 process of elevation, have been demolished. All the dihris resulting from the 

 destruction of this once great solid mass has therefore been swept away, the tract 

 being one of clean denudation. " And again, speaking of the great erosive power 

 of water, he says : "What other agency will account for so complete a denuda- 

 tion, the broken materials having only found issue by one lateral gorge?" Seeing 

 is believing, and to-day you will have the opportunity of disproving these assert- 

 ions. In proceeding from this place I shall first call your attention to a develop- 

 ment of drift, on the other side of the little stream of water running below us, 

 called Pentelow, at the back of the Bell public-house, now, however, nearly hid 

 by a faggot pile, though sufficient is still visible to justify the opinion that 

 previous to the formation of the road, and the erection of the mill, it was part of 

 the main body of drift, and was continuous. The road for some distance towards 

 Serpent's Lane on the left, about 200 yards from this spot, is cut through this 

 drift. There is a curious tradition about this Serpent's Lane ; namely, that a 

 large and fierce serpent, which lived in Haughwood, used to come down this 

 lane every night to drink in the Wye. And I was often told when I came into 

 this neighbourhood (now five and thirty years ago) that many persons recollected 

 the elBgy of a serpent or dragon painted on the wall inside the church at Mordi- 

 ford. I have read in some old book that in the reign of Richard II. (I think it 

 was) the road between Mordiford and Fownhope was rendered unsafe for travel- 

 lers from the depredations of a noted robber who lived in the adjoining woods, 

 and I strongly suspect this was the origin of the serpent. After passing this lane 

 at the bottom of the hill just before coming to the bridge, there is on the left hand 

 side a bank of drift upwards of 100 yards in length, and certainly 50 feet above the 

 river, which runs immediately beneath the road on the right. This drift continues 

 all the way to the Anchor public-house. About 300 yards further on, on 

 the left hand side of the road, is another considerable section of drift, which 

 has been cut through by the road. About the same distance, at the Brewery, 

 now called the Rock House, there is a fine section of the Upper Ludlow rock. 

 A little way further on, on the right, close to the river, is a large mass of drift. 

 This will call for your especial attention, and, in my opinion, is the finest section 

 of drift to be seen anywhere. It must, when first formed, have been of enormous 

 dimensions. Even now, at the distance of 300 yards from the opening in the outer 

 ridge of the upheaval, it is at least 30 feet high, and from the contour of the 

 adjoining land, must have been of great extent. It cannot be supposed that when 

 the drift was washed through that opening it assumed the scarped appearance 

 now presented, but must have flowed onwards, and terminated in a talus. 

 Judging from a quantity of drift which is now visible at a distance of at least 100 

 yards, from a bank of drift in the village of Fownhope (though the intermediate 



