242 W. IT. HucUeston — Creechbavroio in Purheck. 



area, and it is to this latter region, wliicli is wholly composed of 

 Tertiary strata, that I would direct attention. 



The maximum elevation of the Purbeck Hill is about 650 feet, 

 and its average height might be somewhat under 500 feet ; it is 

 breached at Corfe Castle, whence the drainage of part of the southern 

 area escapes through a sort of double gap in the Chalk to flow 

 across the low-lying Tertiary area to the northwards. Practically, 

 with this exception, the Purbeck Hill presents an unbroken range 

 of considerable steepness to the Tertiary district comprised within 

 the Trough of Warehara, and which, as far as the river Frome, is 

 regarded as forming a portion of the Isle of Purbeck. There is, 

 however, a remarkable object which breaks the somewhat monotonous 

 outline of the long Purbeck Hill, and that is the conical figure of 

 Creechbarrow, which rises, all alone, at a little distance northward 

 to a height of 637 feet, and is composed, not of Chalk, but of 

 Tertiary strata. Seen from certain points Creechbarrow looks like 

 a pimple on the Chalk ridge itself, whilst from other positions its 

 peculiar outline greatly resembles a volcano, and when there 

 happens to be a gorse fire near the summit this impression becomes 

 almost a reality. 



Geologists will readily understand that there is nothing igneous 

 about Creechbarrow, but for all that its origin is extremely 

 enigmatical. Why a mass of Tertiary beds should stand out, like 

 a sentinel, in front of a long line of Chalk hills, rivalling these 

 Chalk hills in height, whilst the bulk of the Tertiary strata in the 

 neighbourhood are almost wholly below the 300 feet contour, was 

 always a puzzle to me, as it evidently was to the earlier members 

 of the Geological Survey. Day after day and month after month 

 at intervals during the past four years have I noticed that graceful 

 hill under every conceivable atmospheric condition, until the desire 

 to account for its exceptional presence grew stronger within me. 



Animated by these sentiments I succeeded in inducing the chiefs 

 of the Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Field Club to arrange 

 for an excursion to Creechbarrow last Summer. The Fates accorded 

 us a beautiful day, and the " West Purbeck Meeting " on the Slst of 

 August last was attended by something like 100 people. Lord 

 Eustace Cecil presided in the absence of Mr. Mansel - Pleydell 

 through illness, and under his auspices I endeavoured to expound 

 my views from that airy spot. My remarks are fully recorded in 

 the Proceedings of the Dorset Field Club.^ 



Amongst other points that were urged I endeavoured to impress 

 upon the meeting the exceptional character of Creechbarrow, and 

 for this purpose I entered into the physical description and history 

 of the Purbeck Hill, the Trough of Wareham, etc., at some length. 



Since we had the map of Nature before us there was no need 

 of a diagram, but in order to bring the subject home to those at 

 a distance I submit the accompanying diagrammatic sketch of the 

 Trough of Wareham, 



^ Vo'. xxii, p. liv. 



