482 H. J. EUNSON ON THE RANGE OF THE 
35. The Rancx of the Patrmozoic Rocxs beneath Norrnampron. By 
Hewry Joun Eunson, Esq., F.G.8. (Read June 11, 1884.) 
ConTENTS. 
I. Previous knowledge of the Underground Geology from :— 
1. The Kingsthorpe Shaft, 1836; 
2. The Boring at the Bridge-Street Station, L. & N. W. Railway, North- 
ampton, 1846. 
IT. The Kettering-road Boring, 1880. 
III. The Gayton Boring, 1883. 
IV. A Trial-boring for Coal at Orton, North Northamptonshire, 1884. 
V. General Conclusions. 
VI. Tabular Summary of the Borings. 
I, Previous KNowLEDGE oF THE UNDERGROUND GEOLOGY. 
1. Tux first investigation into the underground geology of Northamp- 
tonshire, or the strata lying immediately beneath the thick deposit 
of the Liassic series, consisting of limestones and clays, which covers 
the county to a large extent, was made in the year 1836. A com- 
pany was then formed and a shaft sunk near the village of Kings- 
thorpe, about 24 miles N.E. of the town of Northampton, for the 
purpose of reaching the Coal-measures, which, upon the advice of 
practical men, it was thought could be found at no great depth 
below the surface, “ though competent scientific individuals, as Mr. 
Smith, the father of English geology, and Mr. Richardson, then of 
the British Museum, expressly denounced it as a mistaken enter- 
prise ”*, 
An account of this shaft (fig. 4, p. 496) has been given by the late 
Mr. 8. Sharp, F.G.S., in the ‘ Geological Magazine,’ from which I 
extract the following passage 7 :— 
‘“ No accurate detailed section of the shaft was taken at the time; 
but at a depth of 210 feet from the surface, a water-yielding ‘ Lime- 
stone rock’ in the Middle Lias (Marlstone) was pierced, which 
produced 36,000 gallons of water per hour. At a depth of 3880 
feet (as is stated in pencil-notes on a diagram in my possession, 
which notes are said to have been made by Dr. William Smith, F.R.S., 
F.G.S., &c.) the New Red Sandstone was reached, and a flow of 
brackish water of a like volume to the former occurred. The 
New Red Sandstone is stated to have consisted of ‘sixty feet of 
Sandstone, twelve feet of Red Marl, and fifteen feet of Conglomerate.’ 
* Proc. of the South Wales Institute of Engineers, vol. ii. p. 198. “The 
Iron Ores of Northamptonshire.” By W. Brown. > 
t “Note on a futile search for Coal near Northampton,” Geol. Mag. vol. viii. 
p- 505. 
’ 
