Ixviii. WEST PURBECK MEETING. 



specimens so small. He did not think, however, that coal of 

 any value would ever be found in the county of Dorset. The 

 best Dorset coal was probably the well-known Kimmeridge 

 coal, which had been often worked, but which had never paid 

 very well. Another great source of coal in Dorset was the beds 

 of lignite associated with the clay mines on the other side of the 

 hill where they had been that morning. In the neighbourhood 

 of Corfe Castle there were beds of lignite several feet thick, and 

 some of the miners burnt it in their homes in the winter ; but it 

 had no commercial value, and would not be worth mining for 

 itself. It was found in the course of mining for the clay. 

 Returning once more to the scene before them, Mr. Hudleston 

 concluded his remarks on the Purbeck Beds, referring especially 

 to the " Purbeck marble," which lies at the top of the series. At 

 Worbarro,jv they had a most complete sequence, and they could 

 compare it with the section at Swanage. The last formation that 

 he need mention was the Chalk, which was nearly vertical in the 

 seacliffs opposite. Arish Mell was generally considered to be 

 the point which separated the Isle of Purbeck from the main- 

 land, so that all these hills right away to Swanage were portions 

 of the Isle of Purbeck. A striking feature about Flower's Barrow, 

 the prehistoric earthwork which ended the range of Purbeck 

 Hills overlooking Arish Mell Gap, was that since its construc- 

 tion a large portion of it had been carried away by denudation 

 and slipped down the hillside. That would afford them some 

 idea of the rate at which the coast locally was wasting away. 



Mr. Dale, referring to the question of " Coal in Dorset," said 

 that a find of coal was made at Milton Abbas fifty years ago. 



The party walked back to Tyneham House and inspected it. 

 Over the entrance of the greystone mansion is carved the date 

 1583. They visited the old building close to it. 



GREAT TYNEHAM HOUSE THE ANCIENT HALL. 

 Rivalling in interest the ijth century house at Barnestone is 

 the small building by the side of Great Tyneham House. This 

 building is all that remains of the ancient manor house of Tyne- 

 ham. It has evidently undergone many changes. It seems to 



