80 PROCEEDINGS COTTESWOLD CLUB 1903 
the caves. The object of the day’s excursion was an 
investigation of the origin of the gorge. The four theories 
previously held were:—1. That it had been excavated by 
the waves of the sea; 2. That it had been produced by a 
dislocation splitting the rocks asunder; 3. That it was 
originally a long winding cavern, the roof of which had 
fallen in; 4. That it was a valley of erosion, excavated in 
the ordinary way bya river on the surface. Dr Callaway 
favoured the theory that the valley had originally been an 
underground cavern, of which the roof had fallen in. He 
noticed that the windings of the gorge corresponded with 
the jointing of the rock. The limestone was traversed by. 
countless joints, the most important cutting each other at 
approximately a right angle. This caused the rock on 
each side of the gorge to form salient and re-entrant 
angles, the salient angles on the one side corresponding 
with the re-entrant angles on the other; thus, were the 
opposite sides brought together, they would fit into each 
other. The present windings of the valley correspond 
with these angles, and it seems fairly clear that the fissures 
along which the underground waters flowed were joint- 
planes. Dr Callaway has given further details of this 
theory in the “Geological Magazine,” Vol. ix., 1902. A 
discussion ensued in which Mr Upton and the Honorary 
Secretary took part, the latter contending that the gorge 
was a valley of fluviatile erosion, and that the windings 
are characteristic of fluviatile action, whether joint planes 
are present or absent. The return journey was com- 
menced at 5.21 p.m. 
The last Field Meeting for the year was held on Sept. 
24th, when the Withington and Chedworth district was 
explored. A varied and interesting programme attracted 
a large attendance. The members left Cheltenham at 
9.45 a.m., and drove to the railway cuttings near the Frog 
Mill Inn, Andoversford. 
