WEST PURBECK MEETING. Iv. 



people say that it can fairly hold its own with the scenery of 

 Devonshire. I think so myself. But, as to the coast of East 

 Dorset, it is without an equal anywhere, not only for beautiful 

 scenery, but also for the magnificence and wonder of its 

 geological sections. Many of you, I dare say, are acquainted 

 with the work of Sir Henry Englefield, who, with his draughts- 

 man, Webster, immortalised the coast of East Dorset in the 

 early part of last century. One of the leading features of the 

 geology of the Isle of Purbeck is that great overthrust, or fault 

 fold, which runs right through from Ballard Head to White 

 Nose, near Weymouth. I suppose that most of you have seen 

 the effects of that fault as it shows itself in Swanage Bay. 

 There, according to the present reading of the geological 

 surveyors, we have an immense overthrust from the north which 

 has pushed the horizontal chalk forwards and caused it to 

 mount up against the vertical chalk which lies to the south 

 of it. Whatever may be the real interpretation of that phe- 

 nomenon, at any rate it indicates the maximum of disturbance 

 along a line which runs nearly east and west, and comes out of 

 the chalk cliffs again not very far from White Nose. We cannot 

 see the disturbance here, but we are within 300 yards of it. It 

 is generally shown as passing along the junction of the chalk 

 ridge there and the Tertiary beds upon which we are now stand- 

 ing. Nobody can see it. Its precise position is a matter of 

 conjecture ; but, as one of the results of its proximity, the chalk 

 at the lime-kiln is almost standing on end. It has a dip of about 

 80 degrees to the north only ten degrees short of vertically. 

 Such a high dip serves to show us that the effect of this great 

 thrust-fault is being felt in this neighbourhood. I shall develop 

 this point further when speaking of Creech Barrow itself. But, 

 before attacking that very knotty problem, the origin of Creech 

 Barrow, I ought to say a few words about the scene before us. 

 The whole of this great basin inland is a great stratigraphical 

 synclinal. That is to say that the great fold in which it exists 

 was impressed upon it at the period of mountain- making, when 

 these hills and the whole of this part of the county received an 



