PROCEEDINGS OF THE COTTESWOLD CLUB 3 



Club, were our guides, and brakes were taken at the 

 Station for the day's excursion. 



In ascending the hill to the Cockshot, at Kynaston, in 

 the parish of Much Marcle, the celebrated landslip, called 

 the " Wonder," was pointed out, and its history given by 

 Mr Piper, 



Quoting from Camden who says : " Near the conflux 

 " of the Lugg and Wye, eastward, a hill which they call 

 " Marcley Hill, in the year 1575, roused itself up, as it 

 " were, out of sleep, and for three days together shoving 

 " its prodigious body forward with a horrible roaring noise, 

 "and overturning all that stood in its way, advancing 

 " itself (to the great astonishment of the beholders) to a 

 " higher station : by that kind of earthquake, I suppose, 

 " which Naturalists call Brasmatia." 



Science now enables us to give a more simple explana- 

 tion. The Ludlow formation here consists of a series 

 of beds of clay and limestone ; and as the clay is of an 

 unctuous character, after heavy rain the water percolates 

 until its progress is arrested by one of the clay bands 

 which it softens, reducing it to a soapy state. The lime- 

 stone which rests upon the clay, owing to the great weight 

 of the beds above it, is forced forward, and in shpping 

 down the hill formed the uneven tumbled ground which 

 we now see. 



A halt was made at the Cockshot, where Mr Piper 

 gave a graphic description of the geology of the district, 

 and just before reaching the village of Woolhope a fine 

 quarry of the celebrated Woolhope limestone was ex- 

 amined. 



After luncheon at the " Crown" a visit was made to the 

 Church, which has been carefully restored. On a tomb- 

 stone in the Churchyard are the following quaint Hues : — 

 All 3'ou that pass this way along. 

 Pray think how sudden we was gone ; 

 God does not always warning give. 

 Therefore be careful how you live. 



A 2 



