[ s^l> ] 



b. Raised beach. c. Blown sand-hills. d. Silurian rocks. 



XXIII. — Description of a Raised Beach in Barnstaple or Bideford 

 Bay, on the North-West Coast of Devonshire. 



By THE Rev. Professor SEDGWICK, V.P.R.S., P.G.S., and RODERICK 

 IMPEY MURCHISON, Esq., F.R.S., F.G.S. 



[Read December 14, 1836.] 



During a recent examination of the county of Devon, undertaken in the 

 hopes of ascertaining^ the geological succession of the more ancient rocks of 

 which it is composed, we were unexpectedly gratified by the sight of the finest 

 raised beach which has come within our observation. It extends, at intervals, 

 along the shore and cliffs, for a distance of about three miles from the northern 

 side of the mouth of the Taw, or Barnstaple river, to the bold headland called 

 Baggy Point. After toiling through the hillocks of blown sand which encum- 

 ber the mouth of this estuary, we were turning the rocky headland of Saunton 

 Down, when, to our great surprise, a succession of yellow-coloured, low cliffs 

 broke upon our view, running close along the shore, and rising to a height of 

 about 50 feet, as an undercliff, upon the sides of the ancient rocks which form 

 this part of the coast. It was evident (even at the considerable distance from 

 which we first saw it) that this undercliff was composed of horizontal layers ; 



