134 
Enclosure, and on towards Lydney, whilst the corresponding 
more massive part of it, from Howbeach Valley Northwards, 
passing through Shakemantle, and on towards Wigpool, re- 
mained less affected. Consequently great pressure exerted 
from the North, South, East, and West would tend to contract, 
fold, and break up the limestone in the line of least resistance, 
and so form dislocations and faults. This may have occurred 
when the beds of rock were comparatively horizontal, and 
possibly before the final uplifting of the Hastern boundary of 
the Forest Mineral Basin. 
When the beds of rock from Howbeach to Lydney were 
raised their condition would have rendered them more suscept- 
able to denuding effects. 
The mass of Mountain, or Carboniferous Limestone has 
been divided by the Howbeach Valley, and in the open quarries 
there the action may be seen. At a distance of a few hundred 
yards Northwards, in Stapledge Enclosure, the limestone strata 
is conformable to the general direction or strike ; consequently 
it must be somewhere from that point towards the Howbeach 
Valley where the contortion of the strata had its centre, or hinge 
upon which they have been folded out of their course. When 
the limestone beds are in their proper order, the average direc- 
tion of the strike is about North 30° East, and South 30° 
West, but the limestone beds in the Howbeach Valley strike 
North 60° to 64° East, and South 60° to 64° West, dipping at 
an angle of from 70° to 75°. The rocks have consequently been 
thrown out of their proper course by an horizontal angle of 34°. 
The displacement is, however, somewhat confused, render- 
ing it difficult to determine the average direction. Supposing 
that all the forces which produced this effect were exerted from 
an Hasterly direction, affecting the rocks at right angles from 
their present dip, we should expect to find the Old Red Sandstone 
rocks immediately below affected in a similar degree. We can- 
not, however, see far down into these, but an inspection of the 
section from Howbeach Valley to Blakeney does not appear to 
confirm such an idea, for the rocks are not contorted to 
correspond with the limestone. 
taal 
