XL GREAT OOLITE. 151 



are frequently estuarine, but these in the oolite proper seem to be 

 more truly marine. 



In the vicinity of Burford this rock yields abundance of good 

 freestone. In particular, the vast and ancient quarries of Taynton 

 furnish building-stone of the best and firmest description ; not so 

 fine-grained as that of Bath, but of superior durability. For ordi- 

 nary walling, road-making and lime-burning, the rock is opened 

 at frequent intervals in its course from Thames-head and the 

 vicinity of Cirencester, by Northleach, Burford, Taynton, Shipton, 

 Chipping-Norton, Woodstock, Enslow Bridge, and Brackley, to 

 Buckingham. 



The railway cuttings near Northleigh and Stonesfield exhibit a 

 considerable variety of structure and texture in the beds of oolite, 

 and in the marly and argillaceous partings. There are for short 

 distances bands of coral and nests of nerina3a, and other shells, but 

 rarely any approach to * coral-reef' or extended shell-bed. 



On a general view the Great oolite of Oxfordshire is much dif- 

 ferent from the coeval type first studied near Bath. The difference 

 is to be explained by unequal depth of sea, and unequal subjection 

 to littoral currents and estuarine influence. In one respect, how- 

 ever, it is the agreement which strikes us, the agricultural similitude ; 

 the surface is equally dry and well suited for the plough and 

 artificial crops. Under the soil the stone is usually much divided, 

 both horizontally and vertically, by the effect of long atmospheric 

 vicissitude ; and the thin broken layers thus formed are often found 

 disturbed and shaken about. Still lower this does not happen, but 

 the open fissures continue, and allow of the percolation of heavy 

 showers, which leave white traces of their passage in delicate and 

 abundant deposits of lac lunae, and rarer deposits of stalagmite. 



At Enslow Bridge and Kirtlington Station, quarries in the oolite 

 exhibit most of the beds in relation to the forest marble and corn- 

 brash above, and the Stonesfield beds beneath. The large old quarry 

 opened on the west side of the Cherwell at Enslow Bridge, which 

 has yielded a vast quantity of stone for walling, roads, and lime, 

 presents the following succession of beds below the cornbrash : 



