1848.] ORMEROD ON THE SALT-FIELD OF CHESHIRE. 265 
The word “ fault”? will be used as meaning a dislocation causing a 
general change in the direction of dip: the word “‘throw’’ when the 
direction is not altered. 
Of the extent once occupied by the deposit of which the Cheshire 
salt-field forms a portion, it is perhaps impossible to form now an esti- 
mate. ‘The salt-beds of Staffordshire only will here be considered as 
connected with Cheshire, forming the most south-easterly portion of 
the same deposit. These beds are found near Ingestrie, about five 
miles from Stafford. The brine is only worked; the spring is co- 
pious, yielding 2 lbs. 20z. of salt to the gallon. The following is a 
section of the measures: red marl and gypsum 324 feet, the same 
with particles of salt 15 feet, red marl and gypsum 69 feet ; in all 
408 feet. Of this depth 378 feet were sunk, and 30 bored. This 
salt deposit is now separated from the Cheshire salt beds by the 
North Staffordshire coal-field and the red sandstone hills (the Bunter 
sandstein), extending from the termination thereof near Whitmore to 
near Shrewsbury. ‘The coal-measures crop out at the northern side 
of a ridge capped by the new red sandstone, extending from the south- 
west of Cheadle in Staffordshire (to the east of which place the obser- 
vations contained in this paper do not extend) near Littley to Dilhorn. 
This is well shown at Delph-house and other places, and by the road 
leading from Draycott by Draycott Cross. Near this last place the 
coal was sunk to through the red sandstone. The dip of both mea- 
sures is S.W. At Delph-house colliery I found the Holoptychius 
and Palzeoniscus, a species of Unio, and specimens of Neuropteris, 
Sphenopteris and Pecopteris. At Caverswall the dip of the red 
sandstone is S.E. To the north of Lane-end the red sandstone over- - 
lies the coal, as at Abberley. It is found near Stoke, and appears to 
basset out along the rising ground as far as Woolstanton. It thence 
extends in an irregular line or curve to Madley, having a dip varying 
from W.N.W. to W.S.W. To this point we shall again return. 
It is not here purposed to enter into an examination of the North 
Staffordshire coal-field, but merely to trace its connexion with the 
coal-field of Lancashire and Cheshire, and to notice the points of 
contact with the new red sandstone. The south-eastern side of this 
district has been just noticed. The western runs along the boundary 
of Cheshire and Staffordshire in a north-easterly direction till it 
meets the hill ground of Macclesfield Forest. This district is noticed 
slightly in Farey’s ‘ Derbyshire,’ and his observations, where correct, 
I have incorporated and extended. For much assistance in the 
examination of the Macclesfield Forest district I am indebted to 
Samuel Grimshaw, Esq., of Errwood near Buxton, Mr. Mercer of 
Newton, and Mr. Boothman of Whaley. 
From Macclesfield Forest the carboniferous measures extend by 
Lyme, Disley and Mellor to Hyde and Mottram. The eastern boun- 
dary of the district to be examined is formed by a synclinal line, called 
by Farey (vol. i. p. 172) the Goyt Trough. ‘This can be traced from 
Ludworth Moor, near New Mills, along the valley of the Goyt, be- 
tween Goyts Moss and Thatch Moss collieries, between Flash and 
Quarnford, along Goldsitch Moor, east of Hencloud Roaches, and to 
x 2 
