i8 PROCEEDINGS COTTESWOLD CLUB 19 lo 



AT LLANCAUT 



After lunch, the Members drove to a spot near the smallest parish 

 in Gloucestershire— Llancaut. Llancaut, the President said, was derived from 

 Llan Ceuid or Cewydd — Cewydd being the Welsh Rain Saint, who was 

 credited with determining the weather for a period of forty days, like 

 St Swithin (July 15th) and St Medard of France (June 8th). Cewydd's fes- 

 tival is on July ist. 



In the wood, just before coming on the common at Llancaut, quarries in 

 the Millstone Grit were observed, and the occasion caused the remark 

 that detailed zonal work had now demonstrated that the grit was not of pre- 

 cisely the same age in all parts of England. Indeed, far otherwise; for 

 example, the grit facies set in earlier in the Clec Hill area than around Bristol, 

 and here, near Chepstow, the bottom-portion was slightly antecedent in date 

 to the corresponding portion of the Bristol Millstone Grit.' 



The little unroofed church at Llancaut was viewed, and it was remarked 

 that it formerly possessed a lead font that was now at Sedbury. Lead fonts 

 are not common, and of some twenty-five, Gloucestershire possesses seven or 

 eight. Coming now to the path by the Wye, geologic and scenic features 

 again came in for notice. The place where Mr Price, of Pen Moel, had found 

 some plant-remains (Sphenopteris, etc.), 2 in what are commonly called the 

 passage beds from the Old Red (Devonian) to the Carboniferous Systems, was 

 pointed out, and also a ledge — along which the Members were shortly to 

 walk — the cause of which did not appear quite clear to some of the local 

 geologists. Mr Richardson was inclined to regard it as partly natural 

 and partly artificial. 



The meanders of the Wye (Plate I.), are ever a subject of debate, 

 and Mr Richardson, following Mr S. S. Buckman,3 held the view that they 

 had been initiated on a sheet of Neozoic rocks that once covered the lime- 

 stone, and had been perpetuated when the river arrived at the underlying 

 limestone. The meanders would be developed as time went on, the necks cut 

 through, and the river would straighten itself. He thought that if it had 

 been softer rocks instead of Carboniferous Limestone, the Wye would have 

 been straighter than it is to-day in the section where it crosses the Limestone. 



The large quarry which the Members crossed (that worked by Sir John 

 Aird for stone to use in the construction of the Avonmouth Docks), is inter- 

 esting, as it affords some idea of the way in which plants commence to clothe 

 an absolutely bared space. In botanical language, it is interesting from an 

 ecological point of view, showing the result of about two years' colonization. 



On reaching the summit of the winding path which lands the pedestrian 

 in the immediate vicinity of Pen Moel, the party were hospitably received 

 and entertained at tea by Mrs Price. After tea, Mr W. P. Price showed the 

 Members the collections of plants and fossils in the house, including the plant- 

 remains found by his brother in the flaggy shale at the foot of the cliff 

 hard by. 



During the day a large number of rare plants were seen under the 

 guidance of the President, Dr Shoolbred, the Rev. H. J. Riddelsdell, and Mr 

 W. P. Price. They included : — Covhhs sanguinea, Pyrus aria, Corylus avellana, 

 Galium aparine, Clematis vitalba. Geranium Roherlianum, Geranium molle. 

 Geranium rotundifolium, Mercurialis perennis, Chenopodium Bonus-Henricus, 

 Malva sylvestris, Sambucus nigra, Ulrnus campcstris, Ulmus glabra, Egopodium 

 podagaria, Rubia peregrina, Teucrium scorodonia, Potentilla argentea, Glechoma 



1 For an account of the Carboniferous Limestone of this area, see Dr A.. Vaughan, Quart. Journ. 

 Geol. Soc, vol. Ixi. (1905), p. 251. 



2 E. A. Newell Artier, Geol. Mag., dec. 5, vol. iv. (1907), pp. 4, 5. 



3 Proc. Cotteswold Nat. F. C, vol. xiii., pt. i (1899), pp. 25-32. 



