336 



ME. W. WHITAKEE ON A DEEP CHANNEL OP 



contour, whilst on the western side the mass of the Drift is at a 

 higher level. 



Littlehury. 



According to the Geological Survey Map (Sheet 47) this village 

 is on Chalk, capped in the eastern and lower part hy liiver Gravel, 

 which, in its turn, sinks below Alluvium close to the river. There 

 was nothing, however, at the time when this map was made to 

 show the x^resence of Glacial Drift, or of anything more than a thin 

 narrow sheet of Eiver Gravel over the Chalk ; nor, indeed, is there 

 now any sign at the surface ; the mapping is right, for the narrow 

 tracts of Eiver Gravel and of Alluvium wholly hide the deep mass of 

 Glacial Drift which has been unexpectedly proved. 



The position of various wells in the village and their depth to the 

 Chalk are shown in the map (fig. 1), which is from the new 

 Ordnance Map (Essex, Sheet 8). 



Pig. 1. — Outline Map of Littlehury, ivitJi Sites of Wells. 

 (Scale 6 inches to a mile.) 



The figures stand for the depth to Chalk, in feet, at the wells. 

 The Geology has been indicated from the one-inch map (Sheet 47). 



From this it will be seen that in five wells the depth to theJChalk 

 is from 3 to 6 feet only, that being taken up merely by such toi> 

 earth, soil, or trace of gravel as might be expected. In two other 

 wells, however, the Chalk was not touched for 15 feet, perhaps 

 Irom the occurrence of a pipe or small hollow of gravel. Another 

 well, the second to the north, ends in sand at a depth of 22 feet, 

 and therefore gives little information. 



When, however, we turn to the one at about the centre of the 

 "svhere the road to 



village 



Saffron Walden leaves the highroad, we 



