Geology of Coalhrook Dale. 417 



the parallel easterly ranges of ig-neous rocks and mountain limestone, and of 

 Lilleshall Hill, at the northern apex of the field. Some of the other irregu- 

 larities of outline will be noticed in describing the faults. 



The coal-field was once thickly wooded ; and in the names of many lo- 

 calities, as Broseley Wood, Cow Wood, Donnington Wood, &c., are pre- 

 served the remembrance of that state of the surface, though they now present 

 a far different scene. The trees are replaced by engines and furnaces, and 

 the green sod by pit-mounds, destitute of the slightest verdure; still, with 

 the exception of a portion of the coal-field, the country around Coalhrook 

 Dale is extremely beautiful and picturesque, and I know few parts of the 

 kingdom which, within so limited an area, present a greater diversity of fine 

 scenery. 



The highly-cultivated lowlands to the north — the noble valley of Shrews- 

 bury, bounded by the Welsh mountains, and irrigated by the winding Severn 

 and the numerous bold escarpments and woody dingles, which skirt and branch 

 off from the banks of that river, present a continual change of romantic and 

 picturesque scenery. 



The boundary of the coal-measures reposes successively on several members 

 of the carboniferous and Silurian systems. At Lilleshall, it rests upon carbo- 

 niferous limestone ; between that point and Steeraway Hill, it abuts against 

 the new red sandstone ; and from Steeraway to Little Wenlock, it overlies the 

 highly-inclined outcrop of the carboniferous limestone. Turning thence east- 

 ward by Harris Coppice to the Dale, it reposes upon the Wenlock shale, and 

 at Lincoln Hill upon the Wenlock limestone. Crossing the Severn, the coal- 

 measures are displayed resting on the Wenlock limestone of Benthall Edge, 

 to the south-east of which they overlie the Ludlow rocks as far as Linley hill, 

 where they are in contact with the old red sandstone, but a little to the east- 

 ward of Linley Hall they again repose, for a short distance, on Ludlow rocks. 

 Throughout the remainder of the district, to the south on to Tasley, they over- 

 lie the old red sandstone. At Barrow and Sherlot Hill are two outliers of coal- 

 measures, the former resting partly on Ludlow rocks, and partly on old red sand- 

 stone, and the latter wholly on the old red. Along the entire eastern boundary 

 of the field, the carboniferous strata abut against or dip under the new red 

 system. 



Thus the coal-measures repose upon carboniferous limestone, old red sand- 

 stone, the several divisions of the Ludlow rocks, the Wenlock limestone, and 

 shale, and occasionally on trap. (See Map and Sections, Plates XXXV., 

 XXXVL) 



1 will now proceed to describe each formation, commencing with the oldest 

 sedimentary deposits. 



