478 PROCEEDINGS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. [May 2, 



strata having become extremely degraded in their extension eastward. 

 From this point, the ridge commences to curve round towards the 

 north-east ; thence continuing its course into Northamptonshire. 



Included within the bounds of these escarpments is an elevated 

 table-land, intersected by numerous long and narrow valleys, gene- 

 rally highly picturesque. The course of the greater number of these 

 valleys is towards the south and south-east, being at right angles to 

 the watershed ; but this is often modified by causes to which I shall 

 hereafter refer. The highest elevation is at Cleve Cloud, above Chel- 

 tenham, where the Inferior Oolite attains a height of 1081 feet above 

 the sea *. 



The flanks of the escarpment are composed of Upper Lias and 

 Marlstone, — the latter often forming tabular promontories ; and 

 from their base, the slightly undulating plains of the Lower Lias 

 stretch away to the banks of the Severn, and overspread the Vale of 

 Moreton-on-the-Marsh. See fig. 2, p. 480. 



Scattered at intervals over the Gloucester plain are several out- 

 liers of the higher formations, forming isolated hills, which when 

 viewed from a commanding position call forcibly to the imagina- 

 tion a state of physical conditions formerly in existence, — when an 

 arm of the sea overspread the plains, bathing on the east the flanks 

 of the Cotteswolds, and on the west those of the Malvern and May 

 Hills, and from the level of which the present outstanding hills 

 arose in the form of islands. 



On viewing these outliers, the question which naturally suggests 

 itself is this — Why have these isolated portions been preserved, 

 while the contemporaneous strata all around have been swept away ? 

 I shall now attempt its solution. 



Causes ivhich have contributed to the preservation of the Out- 

 liers. — Breedon Hill is the most remarkable outlier in our district, 

 both on account of its extent, and the distance by which it is sepa- 

 rated from the main mass of its contemporaneous formations. The 

 form of the hill is oval ; the major diameter being nearly east and 

 west. Along the north side numerous tabulated promontories of 

 Marlstone run out into the Lias plain. These are surmounted by 

 the Upper Lias, and finally by the Inferior Oolite. Along the south 

 side an east and west fault extends, the discovery of which is due to 

 Mr. H. Howell of the Geological Survey. By this fault the Oolite, 

 with its subjacent beds, is thrown down on the north side against 

 the Lower Lias of the plain. (See fig. 3, p. 480.) This fault satisfac- 

 torily accounts for the preservation of this extensive outlier. By its 

 means, the level of the country on the north side has been consider- 

 ably lowered, and consequently rendered less exposed to the denuding 

 agency of the ancient sea. 



South of Breedon Hill, and intervening between it and the Cottes- 

 wold escarpment, are five additional outliers. Two of them, Oxenton 



* Proceedings of the Cotteswold Naturalists' Club, 1850. In this paper, by 

 W. H. Hyett, Esq., F.R.S., the altitudes of many places and objects in the district 

 are given. 



