289 



A SECTION IN 



THE LOWER OOLITES OF SCARBOROUGH. 



JOHN H. COOKE, F.G.S., etc., 



Lincoln. 



In the south-western suburbs of Scarborough, there are several 

 outliers that contain some interesting sections of the upper beds 

 of the Lower Oolites. Their limits and position are defined on the 

 geological map of the district, but, as far as I am aware, no description 

 has been given of any of their exposures. Spring Hill in the village 

 of Falsgrave is one of these outliers ; and in Messrs. Peacock's Pit, 

 which has been opened at the southern extremity, some interesting 

 sections are exposed that show the relations between the Cornbrash 

 and the Upper Estuarine Sandstones, and that allow of the collection 

 of a very complete and representative suite of the fossils of the 

 formations. Owing to the dip of the beds, the limited thickness of 

 the Cornbrash and the extensive accumulations of Glacial Clays that 

 mask the face of the country in this part of Yorkshire, such sections 

 as these are rarely found inland, and therefore during a recent visit 

 to Scarborough I took advantage of the opportunity kindly afforded 

 me by Messrs. Peacock to work out in some detail the lithology and 

 fossil contents of the beds in their quarry. 



Regarded vertically, the following tabular summary contains 

 a close approximation to the thickness of the various beds exposed, 

 and of the serial order that they occupy. 



1. Sandy soil (a mixture of Shales and Kelioway Rock) ... 2 ft. to 3 ft. 



2. Cornbrash — 



a. Shale 



- . - - • - •»• ••* ••• 



2 ft. 



*" { 4 ft. 6 in. to 5 ft 



* * * ' 



b. Ferruginous Limestone (Brashy) ... 



r. Bluish grey Limestone (compact) 

 j» ^naie... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 2 it. o m. 



4- Sandstones with lignite .. 12ft. to 15 ft. 



5- Shale 



1 ft. 6 in 



bedded ... --- -•• 2 in. 



6. Sandstones with ferns and lignite ... 3 ft. to 5 ft. 



7* Clay with seams of ii 



8. Sandstones with ferns 



9- Shales 



• »» ••» •»# ••* »•» *»• 



• •* •%• ••* - » . ••* «*% •#• • * » 



20 ft. 



2 ft. 



IO. Sandstones to bottom of quarry..* ... ... * 10 ft. 



As will be seen from the above details, the Upper Estuarine 

 rocks form the bulk of the section, and consist of alternating beds 

 of sandstones, shales and clays, each of which rests conformably 

 on the other. They serve as an admirable object lesson for those 

 who would study examples of false bedding in all of its stages, as 

 the sandstones, clays, shales, and seams 

 one with another, assuming lenticular. 



Oct. 1896. 



