83 



fine spring has been tlie source of a deposit of Tufa, or as it is 

 locally called "Puff," the extent of which has not been accurately 

 ascertained, but it is met with in various places between the 

 spring and the river, and in one spot has been excavated to a 

 depth of 20 feet without reaching the bottom of the deposit. 

 It appears that this Tufa has been quarried for building material 

 from an early date, for John Smyth, the historian of Berkeley, 

 in his description of Dursley, writes : 



"In this Towne is a Eock of Strange Stone, called a Puff Stone, 

 or, as some pronounce a Toufe Stone, wherein is no Chink, Cracke, 

 Chop, or Lisne, at all, like a sponge ; of an incredible durance, 

 as the Walls of Berkeley Castell, made of Euines of the Nunnerye 

 there, demolished neere 700 yeei'es agoe, may witness ; very easy 

 to be cut, and soft. Through which Rocke, divers Vaults, Houses, 

 Cellars, Milles, and Water-courses, in the Towne are cutt and 

 runne, the like is said not to be elsewhere found ; and by it, and 

 through parte of it runneth the stream from the fayre Fountain, 

 called Ewelme, ancientlie in the Time of Heniy III, and afore 

 written Hewelme in divers Deedes." 



Even Leland makes mention of this Tufa stone, for when 

 describing Dursley, he writes : 



" This Towne hadd a Castell in it sum tyme longynge to the 

 Berkeleys, sins to the Wikys, sins fell to Decay, and is clean 

 taken down. It had a good ditch about yt, and was for the 

 most Parte made of Towfe Stone, full of Pores and Holes like 

 a Pumice. There is a Quarry of this Stone about Dourseley, 

 and it will last very longe." 



Old Leland's assurance that this Tufa-quany would "last 

 very longe " has proved correct, for even to the present day the 

 Tufa blocks taken from it are used not only for garden walls 

 and ornamental entrances, but for building houses. Near the 

 Eailway Station is a large house, erected in 1861 by Mi". Edwakd 

 Gazzakd, the walls of which externally are of Tufa; and two 

 small houses were built near "the Priory" in 1865, the walls 

 of which are faced with this material. In all situations it proves 

 a perfectly durable stone, unaffected by frost, and although often 

 very porous, bears great pressure without crushing. 



