29 



On the Sfaladie Stones used in the Pavement of Prior Conrad's 

 Choir in Canterhury Cathedral, hi/ Mr. A. Wetherelt. 



At our last meeting Mr. Hammond produced some petrifactions 

 from our o-svn Cathedral, -nlLicli I consider as remarkable as they 

 are beautiful, being evidences of the ever -working and never 

 ending processes of nature, of which every stone, or the simple 

 blade of gi'ass, in their structure and building- up, are wise and 

 practical sermons. 



I place before you some specimens of Stalactites, well polished. 

 When they first came into my possession they were stated to be 

 petrified wood, but upon careful examination that proved to be 

 incorrect, and without doubt thej' are sections of Stalactites, 

 which I need hardly state are the slow drippings of water, filter- 

 ing through the various depositions of earthy matter, until they 

 form the most beautiful and graceful pendants in caverns. The 

 other specimens to which I more especially allude arc Stalagmites, 

 or more properly, Stalactical Stalagmites, the markings of which 

 are particularly interesting, as showing the different periods of 

 wet and dry seasons. The}' are so distinct and well defined as 

 almost to form a reading. No c|uestion, at some vast distance 

 of time, these specimens formed part of the flooring or bottom of 

 a cavern, and ai-e distinguished by being called Stalagmites. 

 One sj^ecimen I wish particularly to call your attention to, which 

 has been carefully prepared for the purposes of this evening. 

 Not only does it show the beautiful markings of, and in, its depths, 

 but it also shows very clearly the markings of the surface, prov- 

 ing the drippings of water, and layer upon layer, as well as the 

 different shadings, as would appear by the di-ipping of water 

 iipon calcareous earth or sand. In the present day petrifactions 

 of this kind go on very rapidly. My specimens arc doubly interest- 

 ing to mc as relics of the pavement of the glorious clioir of Conrad, 

 so famed in our Cathedral before its destruction by lire in the year 

 1174. There are several fine slabs near the present Communion 

 Table, where, I trust, they will ever remain ; they are from three to 

 four feet long by two wide, showing all the markings I have 

 before mentioned. These are very rarely seen by the public, as they 

 are, very pioperly, only shown to those who take a special interest 

 therein, and by lavour are permitted within the Communion rails. 

 I must here mention that after the destructive fire the altar was 

 carried much farther back tlum its original position, and some few 

 years ago, upon some repairs to the lower steps in the original pave- 

 ment beneath, between the stjnes lead was found from the dis- 



