36 Ber/cns — Geological Surroy of England and Wales. 



level, and forms a syncline in the hollow of which Lower Eocene 

 strata are preserved. On the south the Downs usually end in 

 a lower bluff which marks the position of an ancient, partly 

 obliterated sea-cliff, and below this is a flat coastal plain which 

 extends continuously to the sea. 



One river of importance, the Arun, traverses the countr}' from 

 north to south, and with its tributaries drains about two-thirds 

 of the area. Over the remaining area most of the water escapes 

 by underground courses to the Lavant, or drains into small streams 

 which reach the sea near Bognor, and at Pagham Harbour — where 

 a submarine forest has been observed, and a deposit of Scrohicularia 

 clay occurs — since reclaimed. 



Within the area lies the ancient town of Chichester, with its 

 cathedral and its seven churches and other ancient relics; Arundel, 

 with its castle (both giving titles to earldoms) ; with several other 

 towns, and numerous villages. All through this district the 

 population has taken up its abode where water was easily obtainable, 

 no place of importance lying on the Weald Clay or Gault, nor on 

 the high Downs, where water can only be obtained by means of 

 deep wells. 



Most of the district is devoted to agriculture and to sheep pasture, 

 but also contains much woodland — beech on the Downs and oak in 

 the Weald. 



The Weald Clay forms wet and rather poor land, much of it 

 being laid down in pasture. In former times it was extensively 

 covered with forests (called hursts), hence the suffix to the names 

 of many towns, as FensJmrst, Staple/i^u-si, Mi(]hirst, etc. It was 

 termed ' Oak-tree Clay ' by William Smith, although the term 

 was more generally used by Smith for the Kimeridge Clay, but 

 sometimes also for the Gault. The oak was chiefly used in 

 obtaining charcoal for the old iron furnaces once common in the 

 Weald. The ironstone was largely smelted, particularly in the 

 western part of the area (H, B. Woodward's Geology, pp. 363-364). 

 Of course, with the introduction of coal for iron-smelting the very 

 limited production of the highly superior charcoal-made Sussex iron 

 ceased as an industry, and neither mines nor manufactures any 

 longer exist within the district. 



The once famous ' Petworth ' or ' Sussex Marble,' ^ a fresh-water 

 limestone composed almost entirely of two or more species of Paludina, 

 P. sussexiensis and P. flnviornm, appears to be no longer worked. 

 It was extensively used in ecclesiastical buildings, monuments, and 

 altar-pieces in mediaeval times. Some of the recumbent figures 

 of Knights Templar in Winchelsea Church are carved out of 

 Petworth marble. 



The formations represented on Sheet 317 embrace Eecent Alluvial 

 deposits ; Pleistocene, Brickearths, Gravels, Flint-rubble, Clay with 

 Flints (overlying the Chalk) ; Eocene, comprising London Cla}^ 

 Pebble Beds, and Heading Beds ; Upper Cretaceous Series, Upper, 



' Known alsn as ' Bethersdeu Marble' and 'Lau"-liton Stoue.' 



