1858.] ' THE CLENT HILLS, 387 



and live. The Clent Hills^ from Stourbridge, or rather, from 

 Old Swineford, through Pedmore, Hagley, and Belbroughton, are 

 composed of Red Sandstone. Some geologists say, of the New 

 series, and some say, of the Old : " Who shall decide when doctors 

 disagree T' This rock " crops out,^' as they say, or comes to 

 the surface, at the end of Stourbridge, the Wolverhampton 

 end, and the cutting for the road, towards Brettel Lane, has 

 exposed many yards of this rock, which appears to consist of 

 a solid mass, as sandstone rock usually appears. The same kind 

 of rock crops out here and there all along the road from 

 Stourbridge to Belbroughton, and there are several cuttings, 

 especially a rather deep one, near Holycross. 



Be the name of the rock what it may, or rather what it 

 may please geologists to say it is, the soil itself gives unmis- 

 takable traces and proofs of its origin ; it is as red as a brick, 

 and in rather depressed parts, after much dry weather, it is 

 nearly as hard. On the north side of the hills, that is, to- 

 wards Hales Owen and Dudley, there is much stiff land, espe- 

 cially where the limestone crops out or approaches the surface. 

 On the Lickeys the grit is the underlying rock, and the soil, 

 consequently, is of a more friable nature than that which owes 

 its origin to the New or Old Red. Thus far for the geology. 



The external features of the country at and about Clent are 

 very picturesque. The hills in the direction of Stourbridge 

 skirt and overhang Hagley Park, which adjoins Clent Hall Park 

 and Clent Castle, as it is called. The hills in the direction 

 of St. Kenelm^s, Hales Owen, Dudley, etc., extend from the 

 church of Clent in a direction which is nearly south-west and 

 north-east, and the distance from these two extremities is be- 

 tween two and three miles. The parish church is at the 

 south-west end of the pass or glen or valley which separates 

 the Clent from the Walton Hills. This valley is very deep 

 and narrow, with an inconsiderable stream of water, which, 

 however, is often swollen into an impetuous torrent by heavy 

 rains that fall on the hills. The Clent Hills are rather higher 

 than the Walton, and the views from the former are preferred 

 by lovers of the picturesque. From their centre there is ob- 

 tained a close, almost a bird^s-eye view, of Hagley Hall, groves, 

 woods, park, village, rectory, and cottages, on the one hand, 

 and on the other side the Clatterbatch or Clent valley, with 



