On the Weald. 65 
and extend from there, for 57 miles or thereabouts, up to the 
well-known chalk promontory of Beachy Head in Sussex, where 
they end. These hills form between Folkstone and Farnham 
the North Downs, and between Petersfield and Beachy Head 
the South Downs. Throughout their entire length of 170 
miles they are continuous, and are in all respects essentially 
the same. They vary in height, being in places nearly goo 
feet above the sea, and as they are in all parts considerably 
above the country which lies within them, the views from them 
are magnificent. Their character is well seen in such places 
as Knockholt Beeches near Sevenoaks, White Hill near 
Caterham, Betchworth Clump, and Box Hill. 
Inside these chalk hills again, and running parallel with them, 
is a second range of hills formed of the Lower Greensand. This 
formation, which is hard in its character, is to be found at but a 
short distance from the chalk hills throughout their entire length, 
and in places like Ide Hill near Sevenoaks, Leith Hill, and 
Hindhead and Black Down near Haslemere, it forms some 
of the highest hills in the south of England. Leith Hill, 
which is the highest point in this part of England, is 967 feet 
above the sea. In some places, however, the Lower Green- 
sand hills have been worn down and destroyed, by agencies to 
be presently described, and in others and especially on the 
south side of the Weald, this formation thins out and is 
reduced to small dimensions. 
Between these two ranges of hills is a narrow valley, 
which seldom reaches a mile in width. The soil at the bottom 
of this is Gault, which is a stiff clay. 
Inside the Lower Greensand hills is another and much larger 
valley, varying in width from two or three miles to twenty, the 
soil of which is made up of the Weald Clay, and in the centre 
of this is another range of high hills, formed of the Hastings 
Sands, which extends from Horsham to Hastings, and on this 
range stand East Grinstead and Tunbridge Wells. The 
highest point on it is Crowboro’ Beacon, which is 804 feet 
above the sea. 
Stated generally, then, we have in this district five things 
to explain and account for. The whole district is in shape 
a rather irregular elongated horseshoe, having the sea at 
its open end. Round the entire outside of this is the range 
of chalk hills, inside of which we have, successively, the 
narrow valley of the Gault, the hills of Lower Greensand, and 
the broad valley of Weald Clay; and in the centre of this are 
the hills of Hastings Sand. The geological model shows this 
very clearly. 
The district which is within the chalk hills is now drained 
by ten rivers, all of which pass through the hills. Five 
=o 
