56. TUB RIDGWAY FAULT. 



southwards a second minor escarpment is visible parallel to the first, 

 formed by the harder beds of Kimmeridge clay. The steep and 

 coombe-shaped valleys are a feature of this district, bearing on 

 their sides, in various places, and especially near Bincombe, several 

 terraces clearly cut and parallel to each other, the indications of a 

 previous state of the cultivation of the soil. Further south lies 

 the low ground occupied by Lodmoor and the tract surrounding the 

 "Weymouth Backwater, which consists geologically of a remarkable 

 anticlinal axis formed of the various beds of the Forest marble, 

 Kimmeridge clay, Oxford clay, Portland sand and stone successively, 

 to which I shall refer more fully further on. Across the sea on 

 our right hand lies that curious physical problem of the Chesil 

 Beach, resting on its bed of Oxford clay, bounded beyond by the 

 steep cliff of the Isle of Portland. On our left we see the fine 

 coast line extending from Eingstead to White Xose Cliff, the 

 furthest point visible from our present position, giving an excellent 

 series of sections of Cornbrash, Gault clay, Greensand, Lower and 

 Upper Chalk. 



The Bidgway Fault, which is so intimately connected with the 

 physical features of the district, extends for a distance of 15 miles 

 from east to west along the southern edge of the chalk ridge, and 

 is further complicated by a second cross fault cutting it, roughly 

 speaking, at right angles. In addition to this, three minor faults 

 are connected with the first mentioned fault, which run parallel 

 to it and at no great distance from it. 



So great is the magnitude of the disturbance wrought by this 

 fracture, that the beds along the escarpment edge appear to have 

 been altered in position by several hundred feet. The result of 

 this is seen in a curious succession in the geological series on the 

 south side of Ridgway Hill, which attracted the attention of 

 geologists even in the early days of the history of the science. 

 The white chalk is so essentially a feature of the county of 

 Dorsetshire, that it is hardly necessary to allude to it. The white 

 cliffs, the wide and spreading downs, the antiquarian features of the 

 British tumuli, the Cerne Giant, and the equestrian figure of 



