and on the Basins of London and Hants. 121 



The irregularity of structure, which I have to describe on the west of 

 King^sclere, consists in a sudden and unusual elevation of the chalk, accom- 

 panied by fracture and an inverted dip, which will be best understood by re- 

 ferring to the annexed section and map. (PI. XVII.) At Inkpen Hill the chalk 

 rises to the height of 1011 feet, the greatest elevation which it attains in Eng- 

 land : it here also forms the highest point of a double series of strata, which 

 from thence to Highclere Park are seen to dip, on either side of a central axis, 

 in two opposite directions, nearly north and south ; the axis itself or anticli- 

 nal line running nearly from west-north-w^est to east-south-east, parallel to 

 the edge of the basin of Newbury and to the high ridge of chalk. This 

 opposite dip, from Inkpen to Highclere, is seen in the chalk-pits that are met 

 with along the intermediate valleys ; but from Highclere Park to Kingsclere, 

 it is more distinctly marked by the bursting up of beds of the upper green- 

 sand or firestone from beneath and between two opposite escarpments of 

 chalk. The northernmost of these escarpments dips rapidly to the north, be- 

 neath the plastic clay formation of the basin of Newbury ; the southernmost 

 dips less rapidly to the south, i. e. towards the basin of Hampshire. The ge- 

 neral elevation of this southern escarpment is nearly twice as great as that of 

 the northern, and its dip is less in nearly the same proportion. To it belong 

 the summits of Beacon Hill and Ladel Hill, which form landmarks to all the 

 surrounding country, and are sometimes called the Burghclere Hills. At 

 the eastern extremity of this tract of green-sand, the two chalk-escarpments 

 close round and become confluent, with a dip and bearing conformable to 

 those of the subjacent sandstone. The valley comprehended within these 

 escarpments is from 4 to 5 miles long, and from I to 2 miles broad. I shall 

 call it the Valley of Kingsclere, from the small town situated at its eastern 

 extremity. 



On the slope of the southern escarpment, between Beacon Hill and Ladel 

 Hill, a considerable thickness of hard and gray chalk or chalk-marl is seen to 

 divide the softer chalk of the summit from the green-sand or firestone which 

 forms the base ; but on the northern escarpment the total superficial breadth 

 of the chalk, owing to its more rapid dip, is comparatively small. 



The green-sand (or firestone) of the vale of Kingsclere, in substance and 

 organic remains, resembles that of Merstham and the vale of Pewsey, and 

 the upper green-sand of the Isle of Wight. It contains irregular and subor- 



and remained in triumphant occupation of the soil ; whilst in the other half of the field, on which 

 he had laid the chalk in the same year, he had a magnificent crop of corn and no Arenaria what, 

 ever; this plant, as well as sorrel and other weeds, disappearing where the chalk had been laid." 

 VOL. II. — SECOND SERIES. R 



