Q F S T O N E S. 61 



s 



Large mafles of fine rag, fit for building, are common in 

 many places. Our anceftors have chofen to build their for- 

 trefles and ftrong holds, and the Romans their caftra, with it, as 

 beft enduring the rage of time and the weather. The caftles of 

 Bambrough, Dunftonbrough, and Prudhoiv, are built with it ; the 

 mortar of Bambrough-ca.ft\e compofed of lime, fand, and fea-fhells, 

 chiefly the fmall white Turbo, not the leaft decayed in the 

 courfe of fo many ages. 



Laminated ffee-ftone, of a good quality for flags and flates, is 

 plentiful. At High Morake, on the edge of Gofton-burn, near 

 Wark, in Tynedale, and at Bromehope, in Reedfdale, is a flate of a 

 purple colour, of a fine fmooth furface, thick fet with glittering 

 flakes of micse. 



At Low Morale?, by Goffon-burn, are good grey flags and flates ; 

 fome ftrata of both curioufly figured ; of which hereafter. 



At Bay-Bridge, in Hexhamfhire; and at Birtley, near Chipchace, 

 and at Black Heddon, alfo at Bolham, is an excellent brown flate. 

 They have the valuable properties of hardnefs and lightnefs, not 

 eafily pervaded by water in the moft rainy feafons, or parting 

 into mivers under the fe verity of tempefts and frofts.. 



There is alfo a brown flate of good note at the bottom of two 

 remarkable cliffs of free-ftone by ffaltivefel-burn, near Lee's Hall, 

 at a fmall diflance from the military road. The cliffs project: 

 into the rivulet eaft and weft ; the fcreams winding under them 

 in pleafant murmurs ; their broken fides fhaded with brufliwood 

 of various kinds ; near them a chalybeat fpring, 



There is a very good brown flate at Great Whittington, 

 Buteland, Halyivell, Rothbury-Eaft-Mill, Halyjlonc-z\\, Barrow, Fol- 



bury, 



