166 DESCRIPTION OF THE STRATA. 



In 1789, several trials for coal were made at Dinsdale on the Tees, be- 

 tween Croft bridge and Yarra. Some of the borings merely penetrated 

 the alluvial beds, consistiijg of sand, gravel, clay, &c.; and entered 

 a few feet into the red sandstone. Two of them, however, were car- 

 ried to a great depth, the one to about 66 fathoms, the other to 74 

 fathoms; passing through various beds of red, white, grey, and blue 

 rock ; some of them soft, like clay or marl, others moderately hard, 

 and a few very hard. These last were found running in bands in the 

 softer strata. Gypsum was found in both borings, at a considerable 

 depth ; and in both it seemed to be connected with the blue seams. 

 The last 32 fathoms of the deepest boring consisted almost wholly of 

 white and grey sandstone, without any mixture of the red strata. A 

 similar result was obtained from a more recent and much deeper 

 boring, at Entercommon near Smeaton, about three miles to the 

 south of Dinsdale, and on the south bank of the Tees. Here the 

 borers penetrated to the depth of 223-|- yards. The first 10 yards 

 consisted of alluvial beds ; the next lOO yards of red sandstone, in 

 various beds, with a few bands of hard stone, &c.; and the remain- 

 ing 113 yards consisted of red, grey, and white sandstone, including 

 several very hard bands; the lowest beds being entirely grey or 

 white, as at Dinsdale.* 



At the deepest of the Dinsdale borings, viz. that of Woodhead on 

 the north bank of the Tees, a sulphureous spring, like the Harrowgate 

 fspa, was found to issue from a blue stratum, lying under gypsum, at 

 the depth of about 194- fathoms. This spring, now termed Middleton 



* The authors received this account of the Smeaton or Entercommon boring from J. Ash, 

 tlie borer, employed by G. Allan, Esq., of Grange. The borings at Dinsdale were conducteil 

 by G. Rawlings, employed by the late General Lambton. The authors were favoured with the 

 lists of these borings some years ago, by N. J. Winch, Esq.; who has since published them in 

 the Geological Transactions, IV. p. 97, 98. The boring No. 1 descended only 10 fathoms, 

 of which 2 feet consisted of i-ed sandstone, and the rest of alluvium. No. 4, which reached 

 16 fathoms 2 ftet, presents us with 15f fathoms of alluvial strata, and only 5 feet of red 

 sandstone. 



