276 PROCEEDINGS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. [ Mar. 8, 
otherwise it resembles. In both places this salt-bed is impure ; here 
it is 120 feet, and at Northwich from 84 to 90 feet thick. The 
upper surface of the top bed is not level; this is caused probably 
by the action of the water or brine-head which overlies it. At Wins- 
ford this surface consists of parallel undulating lines which range 
from east to west: at Northwich the surface is irregular. 
Below this stratum lies a bed of mdurated clay called ‘ stone,” 
from 33 to 36 feet in thickness. Like the similar bed at Northwich 
(which is there 30 feet in thickness) this bed is traversed by veins of 
salt called “‘leaders’’ reaching from the upper to the second stratum 
of salt. 
Below this bed lies the second bed of salt. Like the second bed at 
Northwich the upper portion is impure. There the impure portion 
is from 60 to 75 feet in thickness, below which the next 15 feet is 
the portion which is worked ; below this the salt is again impure. 
At Winsford, in a like manner, the upper portion for a thickness 
of about 75 feet is impure, below which 15 feet of marketable salt 
occur; the salt below this is impure. This second bed has been 
penetrated to a depth of 120 feet, but has not been sunk through. 
Below Newbridge or Moulton the rock-salt has not been found till at 
Northwich. 
For many particulars as to Winsford I am indebted to Mr. Jump, 
a mining-engineer of that place. 
A throw probably passes near Moulton, as a difference of almost 
20 yards in depth to the rock-salt was found between two sinkings 
made in the same level 100 yards from each other. 
Between this point and Leftwich no rock-salt has been found. On 
the west side of Hartford Bridge, below the same, and also opposite 
Vale Royal, near Eaton, small salt-springs rise to the surface. Sink- 
ings were made near the spring at Hartford to the depth of 240 feet, 
or about 138 feet below sea-level, and brine was not found. These: 
sinkings are valuable as showing the line of fault between the Wins- 
ford and Northwich salt, the depth to the salt at Winsford on the 
south bemg from 90 to 120 feet, and at Northwich on the north 
about 39 feet below sea-level. 
At Hartford Clough, about one mile above Northwich, and in Left- 
wich, borings were attempted; in both places they were abandoned 
on account of the sand. 
In King’s ‘ Vale Royal’ it is stated that at Northwich there was 
a salt-spring or brine-pit on the bank of the river Dane from which 
the brine runneth on the ground in troughs of wood covered over 
with boards until it came to the Wich-houses where they make salt. 
It will be observed that the spring is spoken of as on the Dane, 
and therefore in Leftwich or Witton. This spring is not now in 
existence. 
The brine at Northwich does not rise to the surface. The rock- 
salt at Mr. Marshall’s pit in the centre of the town is 55 feet below 
sea-level. The depth at which the brine stands varies according to 
the number of pits at work. When in full work the level will be 
lowered from 34 to 46 feet below sea-level. 
