28 IRON SAND FORMATION. 



on the north side of the rivulet that flows along the Hne of junction. The 

 beds of sand and sandstone are here nearly twelve feet liigh, and agree in 

 their nature and relations with those which occur at Horsted. 



Insulated portions of sand and sandstone rise to the surface near Isfield 

 Paper-mill, and also on the opposite bank of the river ; but from the 

 quantity of soil and vegetation with which they are surrounded, their 

 extent cannot be determined with any degree of accuracy. 



On the coast, the cliffs near Hastings expose an interesting section of 

 the iron sand. The strata are less ferruginous than in the locahties pre- 

 viously described, and the sand is finer and more loose and friable ; it some- 

 times contains impressions of ferns, charred wood, and the stems of 

 vegetables. 



At Eye the sand is liighly ferruginous, and the sandstone of coarser 

 texture. 



It is unnecessary to describe the course of the iron sand and sandstone 

 more minutely, as the strata, although distributed over a considerable 

 extent of country, present but little variety, and are destitute of organic 

 remains : the localities, already noticed, are sufficiently characteristic of 

 their usual appearance and structure. We shall therefore pass to the 

 examination of the ironstone, limestone, and coal, since the history of these 

 beds possesses considerable interest in an economical, as well as a geological 

 point of view. 



1. Ironstone. 



This substance is internally of a dark steel grey, and generally very 

 hard and compact ; occasionally it is laminated, and separates into thin 

 flakes upon exposure to the air. It occurs either in irregular concretions 

 in the sand, or is stratified and alternates with beds of sandstone. The 

 globular masses often contain nodules of argillaceous earth, round which 

 the ironstone is disposed in concentric layers. 



In some parts of the county the ironstone is of excellent quality, and ex- 

 tensive founderies were anciently established in different parts of its course : 

 " the almost inexhaustible quantity of wood, with which the country was 

 covered in the early centuries, and the numerous lakes and morasses, which 



