112 



land, and such j^robably it was at the time of the forest- 

 growths."* 



The Peat Bed near Sharpness lies in a hollow, very much 

 resembling a trough, excavated out of the lower beds of the Old 

 Eed Marl. The silt covering the bed is cut through by Holly 

 Hazel brook a short distance before it reaches the river. This 

 brook is a small stream, rising in the Ludlow rocks, about two 

 miles distant. 



By reference to the maps, carefully prepared for me by Mr. 

 Ernest Baldwin, the son of the Contractor in charge of the 

 Works, to whom I am also indebted for much information, it 

 will be seen that the peat attains a maximum thickness of 

 nearly 14 feet, and, as it rises near the surface, thins out to 

 a few inches. It is composed mainly of Oak, Alder, Beech, 

 and Hazel, and, towards the top of it, some nuts of the 

 latter were found quite perfect. 



The trees generally were observed to He North and South, and, 

 at the point where the peat was the deepest, they occurred most 

 abundantly about six feet from the bottom. The wood forming 

 the peat of the underlying portion was much decomposed, with 

 some fine sand in it. 



Some of the Oaks were of considerable size, indeed one 

 was quite a Giant of the Forest, measuring as it lay, 80 feet ; 

 and 2 ft. 9 in. in diameter at the top. The base was a good 

 deal decayed, and, as far as could be ascertained, exceeded 

 6 feet in diameter. The bark, a few feet from the butt, was in 

 places almost entire; and the part now in the Gloucester 



* I have lately visited Porlock, and although some changes have taken 

 place from the great encroachment of the sea since Mr. Godwin- Austen's 

 paper was written, his description is still practically correct, but I would 

 observe that now the greater part of the forest trees are in the blue mud, and 

 those in the shingle are mostly hazel and at the extreme west point. From 

 <iigoing I ascertained that the mud which is extremely tough and tenacious 

 thickens towards the east, where it is fully 3J feet thick. It extends far 

 into the sea, forming an excellent anchorage ground for vessels, and has 

 the appearance of having been formed by the action of ice, and seems to be 

 derived from the lower lias clay which occurs in the district. 



