51 



THE EARLY NEOLITHIC FLOOR OF 

 EAST LANCASHIRE. 



Bxj H. COLLET MARCH, M.D., Lond. March 22nd, 1887. 



Introduction — 



The forgery of stone implements was never so abundant 

 or so difficult of detection as at present. Therefore I wish 

 to say that every object shown to-night, has been found 

 by myself, or under my own supervision. The sections 

 have been examined and reported on by Dr. Hinde, and 

 the photographs were prepared by Mr. Spencer Smithson 

 of Facit. 



The geological formation of the district is that of the 

 coal-measures — shales and gritstones ; — so that no chert 

 or flint is native to the soil. 



Definition — 



By a " floor " is meant the actual undisturbed area 

 occupied by a race of men. It is only by a fortunate 

 accident that such a floor has been preserved, and it is 

 only by careful digging that such a floor can be accurately 

 laid bare. 



The extent of the floor-containing area — 



The area comprises a portion of the Pennine Chain. 

 Its altitude is well above 1300 feet. It does not extend 

 to the north of Burnley, nor to the west of Bolton, nor to 

 the south of Hadfield ; but it stretches eastwards, without 

 defined hmits, into Yorkshire. 



Beyond this area, stray sihcious flakes may be picked 

 up anywhere, but speaking roughly of the north, no flint- 

 floor has been found on Boulsworth Hill, or about Pendle, 

 or on the limestone ridges round Clapham ; nor, as regards 

 the south, at Marple, or at Hayfield, or on the escarpments 

 of the miUstone-grit of Derbyshire. 



The relative position of the Floor — 



The floor is found either on the summit of a conical 

 hiU, or on a southward slope a hundred feet below the 

 top of the rearward or protecting ridge. 



More particulaiy ; there are six conical liills : Bull Hill, 

 1372 ft. ; Tooter HiU, 1420 ft. ; KnoU HiU, 1378 ft. • 

 Middle HUl, 1300 ft. ; March HUl, 1450 ft. ; and Cupwith 

 HiU, 1440 ft. ; and five slopes : Wadsworth, Blackstone 

 Edge, Eeadycon Dean, Pule HiU and Bareholme, which 

 have a mean elevation of 1350 feet. 



