448 



Extent and Boundary. — The tract of country about to be illus- 

 trated is comprised within a square, the sides of which are about eight 

 miles in extent, having Godalming for the centre ; every portion of 

 the district is therefore within a moderate walk of the town. 



The chalk ridge, well known as the Hog's Back, running east and 

 west, has been taken in part as the northern boundary ; a narrow slip 

 of London clay on the north side of this range, is, however, included 

 within the district, as affording an additional variety of soil. From 

 the abrupt termination of the Hog's Back at Guildford, the northern 

 boundary is continued along to Merrow Downs: from thence the east- 

 ern boundary passes by St. Martha's Chapel, and crossing the valley 

 of Chilworth by the powder-mills, it skirts Blackheath to Shumeley 

 Green, is continued across the Wey and Arun canal to the junction of 

 the Cranley and Horsham turnpike-roads, and follows the latter to 

 Pain's Hill. 



The southern boundary is taken hence in a westerly direction 

 through the wealden clay, immediately at the base of the lofty range 

 of hills commencing at Hascomb Beech, and terminating at Bowler 

 Green near Hindhead. From this point the western boundary is 

 formed by an imaginary line through Cosford crossing Thursley Com- 

 mon to Elstead, and continued thence over Crooksbury and Fatten - 

 ham Commons by Hampton Lodge, passing over the Hog's Back near 

 Shoeland Farm to the commencement of the northern boundary. 



Geological Features of the District. — In noticing these, 1 com- 

 mence with the northern limit, which is a termination of the liondon 

 clay resting upon the chalk, I am not aware that any portion of the 

 plastic clay is to be found within the limits : the Bagshot sand, which 

 is so conspicuous, does not approach nearer than Romping Downs, 

 about two miles distant. The principal feature is the beautiful chalk 

 ridge called the Hog's Back, which scarcely exceeds half a mile in 

 breadth. " This remarkable ridge of the North Downs extends from 

 Guildford to a point about two miles from Farnham, and has evident- 

 ly been produced by an upthrow of the chalk, and the breaking off of 

 the southern portion of the curve. The inclined position of the re- 

 maining side of the flexure is seen at the western .extremity of a large 

 chalk-pit, between Guildford and Puttenham, where the strata dip to- 

 wards the north at an angle of about 30°. The upper beds are very 

 white, with courses of the usual dark flint nodules ; and a remarkable 

 feature in this quarry is the distinctness with which the chalk is 

 divided into masses ap])roaching to a rhomboidal figure, by seams 



