250 Rev. James Yates on the Structure of the 



sandstone being washed away. It consists of a compact greenstone, similar 

 to those which usually accompany coal-formations. The beds of coal and 

 sandstone and of clay^ having the same valuable properties with the Stour- 

 bridge clay, extend towards the S.W. in the direction of the dyke, and pro- 

 bably join the coal-formation at the north-western base of the Abberley Hills. 

 The district so occupied is bounded by strata of red sandstone, which rises 

 in picturesque precipices on each side of the Severn at Bewdley, and extends 

 from Kidderminster to the trap-dyke at Shatterford ; by beds of limestone, 

 which appear towards the south-west at Burnthorn and Abberley ; and by a 

 dyke of white sandstone, which runs for some miles parallel to the trap-dyke, 

 and terminates the coal-formation towards the north-west. 



2. Not more than 10 miles to the east of Bewdley are situated the Clent 

 Hills, distinguished by the names of the Proper Clent Hill, and Walton Hill. 

 Hagley Park rises upon the north-western declivity of Clent Hill, the ridge 

 of which is separated by a deep valley from Walton Hill. A branch of the 

 latter ridge, named Calcut Hill, extends still further towards the S. E. in the 

 direction of Bromsgrove Lickey. This cluster of hills is distinguished by 

 its steep slopes, which give to it the characters of romantic beauty. The rock 

 consists for the most part of the red sandstone, which occupies the whole 

 surrounding country as far as Stourport, Bewdley, Enville, and Stourbridge. 

 At a quarry behind " Thomson's Seat " in Hagley Park, beds of calcareous 

 breccia occur in the red sandstone. They sometimes consist of grains of 

 quartz, decomposing felspar, and limestone ; and sometimes of larger pebbles 

 of the same substances, though principally of encrinal limestone. They are 

 highly ferruginous, their cement consisting of the red oxyd of iron inter- 

 mixed with clay, and the whole mass being further hardened by the infiltra- 

 tion of carbonate of lime, which is going on even at the present day. The 

 upper part of Clent Hill consists of a trap-rock, commonly so much decom- 

 posed as to form a complete covering of soil, but occasionally appearing in 

 harder fragments, which have resisted the action of the elements. This trap 

 might come under the denomination of grauwacke, as its cement appears to 

 be principally argillaceous, and it is full of small grains of quartz, felspar, and 

 other minerals. But it has not a schistose structure, and does not exhibit any 

 distinct marks of stratification. Walton Hill consists of a porphyritic and 

 .sometimes amygdaloidal trap, very much decomposed. The solid rock is not 

 any where visible. But the soil, penetrating to the depth of two or three feet 

 from the surface, and abounding in angular fragments of porphyritic trap, 

 which is also scattered over the hill and is seen in some openings, where it 



