62 



particularly at Bewley, Rose Wood, Fane Hill, and on 

 Chart Farm, the last patch of gravel lying on the watef- 

 parting of the Shob or Medway and the present Darenth, 

 all above the 400 feet contour line; while on the hills 

 above patches of gravel also appear to belong to the 

 streams tributary to the Old Darenth. 



At the time when the Darenth ran in the course I have 

 suggested, it will be remembered that the lower greensand 

 extended further South over the Weald clay than now It 

 appears probable that the Medway having the advantages 

 of a quicker exit to the sea and a marked transverse trough, 

 was enabled to cut back and lower the Weald clay faster 

 than the Darenth was able to cut a passage through the 

 greensand and maintain a free passage. 



Mr. Topley has described patches of high level river 

 gravel on the western side of Sevenoaks as far as Limps- 

 field, and most of these patches are wholly above the 400 

 feet contour. On Limpsfield Common is a patch of gravel 

 at present lying on the water-parting of the Eden and 

 the modern Darenth. The higher patches extend in the 

 remains of a terrace, as far as Montreal in front of the 

 opening of the chalk escarpment. 



There is a patch of gravel at Broughton House, which 

 Mr. Topley has described as piped into the chalk, and 

 allowing for the piping, it apparently belongs to the same 

 series. On the foot of the hill near Sepham Farm, river 

 gravel is found from 400 feet downwards for some distance. 

 All these gravels of the old Darenth contain flint and 

 tertiary pebbles, besides those of the greensand. As yet I 

 have found no Wealden sandstones in them, but inas- 

 much as the older Darenth at the time when these gravels 

 were deposited, from Plaxtol to Sepham, may have been 

 confined to the greensand and in its decline, I should not 

 necessarily expect to find them. Flint implements are 

 abundant, some of them much worn from long travel in 

 the stream before reaching the remnant of the old bed, and 

 thus point to a great age.* 



* See a paper on them in Archseologia Cantiana, Vol. XV. 



