the Cheshire Rock-Salt District. 2 1 3 



have thus two distinct contractions in the valley of the 

 Weaver below Norlhwich ; a circumstance in some degree 

 worthy of notice. 



Situation of the Brine Springs, 'Rock-Salt Mines, &c. 



I have dwelt thus minutely upon local facts from their 

 connection with the situation of the rock-salt, which, with 

 few exceptions, has yet been ascertained to exist only ia 

 the valleys of the Weaver and its tributary streams ; in some 

 places manifesting its presence by springs impregnated 

 with salt; in other places being known by mines actually 

 carried down into the substance of the strata. A reference 

 to the map will show the several situations where brine 

 springs occur, or where mines have been sunk, in the course 

 of these valleys. Between the source of the Weaver and 

 Nantwich, it will be seen that many biine springs make 

 their appearance ; and in the latter part of this course, it 

 would seem that brine might be obtained by sinking to 

 some depth in any place near the banks of the Weaver. 

 Proceeding down the stream, salt-springs occur again at 

 Winsford, and in several situations between Winsford and 

 N'-rthwich. At Moulton, between these two places, a 

 nrsne has been sunk into the body of rock-salt, and another 

 also between VV'^insford and Middlewich. At Northwich 

 the brine springs are very abundant, and here also many 

 mines have been sunk for the purpose of working out the 

 fossil salt. The springs occur again in several places further 

 down the river, but none have been met with below Sal- 

 tersford, about two miles from Northwich. At Whitley, 

 however, two miles north of the Weaver, and six miles 

 from Norlhwich, a body of rock-salt is stated to have been 

 met with in boring for coal. 



On the course of the river Wheelock, brine springs have 

 been found at Lawton, Roughwood, Wheelock, and again 

 at Middlewich, where this stream imites itself with the 

 Dane. At Lawton a mine has been sunk into the rock- 

 salt. In the valley of the Dane, no salt springs actually 

 appear, but several circumstances indicate that brine has 

 at some former period been discovered there, and this as 

 high up the stream as the neighbourhood of Congleton, 

 No springs have been found in the valley of Witton Brook, 

 except at the part of it immediately adjoining the Weaver 

 at Northwich. 



The evidences of the presence of rock-salt occur, as T be- 

 fore Slated, in very few places out of these valleys, and even 

 3 8um« 



