430 



DOMAIN V. CALCAREOUS. 



of York; and that fine earth must of course im- 



- 



part some of its usual qualities, of unctuous soft- 

 ness and durability*. By some little research it 

 might probably be discovered from what quar- 

 ries the stone used in our cathedrals, and other 

 ancient buildings, was procured. One kind was 

 Of Caen, even brought from Caen in Normandy, merely, 

 as would seem, because it was known to the 

 Norman conquerors. It is said to appear in the 

 posts and lintels of the castle at Rochester, and 

 in many other places; but the name of Caen 

 stone is often erroneously applied, as for instance 

 in the abbey of St. Alban's; while we know, 

 from authentic records, that the stone chiefly 

 Tottenhoe. employed was from the quarries of Tottenhoe, 

 in Bedfordshire. Not contented with the ma- 

 jestic appearance of konite, or genuine free- 

 stone, on whose soft tinge of brownish white the 

 eye reposes with more pleasure than on the glit- 

 tering splendour of marble, our ancestors in- 

 creased the magnificence with single or grouped 

 pillars of Petworth marble, drawn from quarries 

 now unknown, near the town of that name in 

 Sussex. This marble is often ignorantly called 

 Purbeck, while it is totally different both in co- 

 lours and composition. The structure of the 



* See the Mode Magnesian Limestone, Domain IV. 



