HOLL MALVERN HILLS. 95 



widening out as we proceed northward, are fully exposed at the 

 northern extremity of the range, and in the anticlinal axis of Old 

 Storrage *. 



All the overlying members of the Upper Silurian Series, and Lower 

 Old Eed Sandstone, follow each other in regular succession ; and I 

 have nothing to add, in respect to them, to the full description already 

 given in the elaborate memoir of Prof. Phillips f. 



V. Faults. 



Allusion has been already made to the lines of breceiated rock 

 which occur in many parts of the hills, and to the comminuted ap- 

 pearance some of the trap-rocks present, indicative of movements 

 having taken place subsequent to their injection. But, independently 

 of these, the several passes which divide the chain of the hills at 

 intervals are probably, some of them at least, determined by lines of 

 fault, as the direction of the strike of the rocks on opposite sides of 

 these passes is in some cases abruptly altered. 



These lines of fracture are probably such only as resulted from 

 the many upheavals and subsidences to which the range was sub- 

 jected. The iissures which have given rise to the quartzo-fel- 

 spathic and granitic veins antedate those which gave vent to the 

 eruptions of trap, and the lines of breceiated rock are, many of them 

 at any rate, posterior to the traps, inasmuch as they contain frag- 

 ments derived from them in greater or less abundance. 



But, besides these ancient fractures, there are two systems of faults 

 of later date, the one soon after the close of the Lower Old Eed 

 Sandstone, the other posterior to the age of the Lias. 



Of the first of these systems, one occurs nearly opposite the ravine 

 which separates the Worcestershire Beacon from Summer Hill. This 

 fault has carried the Woolhope Limestone, on its southern side, 30 

 yards further to the west. The road from West Malvern to Mathon 

 Lodge passes obliquely over both ends of the Woolhope Limestone, 

 so as to make it appear that there are two beds of limestone at this 

 spot. 



Further to the south, a little beyond the Wyeh, there is a some- 

 what complicated system of faults, which has given rise to consider- 

 able lateral displacement of the beds. The principal fault is situated 

 further to the south, and crosses the railway shortly after it emerges 

 from the tunnel. The interval between the railway and the hills 

 on the south side of the fault contains all the beds between the top 

 of the Old Red Marls and the May Hill Sandstone inclusive, dipping 

 at a high angle ; while on its northern side, all these beds are carried 

 to the northward, — the Wenlock Limestone as far as the tm-n- 

 pike-road, and the Aymestry Limestone to Brock Hill. There is, 

 therefore, an interval between the Wenlock Limestone on the north 



* Both at West Malvern and at Old Storrage, these lower conglomerates 

 contain pebbles and fragments derived from the metamorphic rocks of the hills. 

 See further, PhiUips, op. cit. pp. 59, 62, and 03. 



t Memoirs of the Geological Sm-vey, vol. ii. part 1. 



