1848. ] ORMEROD ON THE SALT-FIELD OF CHESHIRE. 283 
The most westerly salt-works along the Weever are below Frods- 
ham Bridge. The salt made here is not from rock or brine found on 
the spot, but from the salt water of the Mersey strengthened by rock- 
salt from Northwich. At these works borings were made to the 
depth of 475 feet, or about 450 feet below sea-level. The measures 
bored through were chiefly of a hard gritty nature, forming eighty- 
eight beds, of which the thickest was 30 feet, and the thinnest two 
inches in depth; forty-seven of these beds were under three feet in 
thickness. Rock-salt was not detected. A weak brine was found at 
the depth of 288 feet 10 inches. It is impossible to say whether this 
brine derives its impregnation from rock-salt on the spot, or finds its 
way from some distant point by means of the many dislocations 
which traverse this district. As however the brine was found to be 
stronger when the boring had been stopped for a few days, it is 
possible that a thin vein of rock-salt exists here which has not been 
detected, but been classed as a sandy grit. 
A second boring was taken near the one just mentioned to the 
south-west thereof, the particulars of which coincided with it. 
A shaft was sunk at the above works near the Mersey to the depth 
of 90 feet, and then abandoned. The upper beds contained a little 
spar, but were generally gritty with hard ferruginous bands. These 
it was necessary, on account of their hardness, to blast. 
The beds here met with are similar in character to the upper por- 
tion of the waterstone beds seen on the northern side of this valley 
at Preston Hill; they probably exhibit the change from the gyp- 
seous or saliferous to the last-mentioned strata. 
The district just described (being that in which the salt is mostly 
worked), it will have been doubtless perceived, extends nearly in a 
right lme from east to west across Cheshire. From the following 
approximate estimate of the heights compared with sea-level at which 
the brine is tapped and stands, and the salt found, it will be seen that it 
is traversed by great dislocations. The extent and direction of these 
are as yet unknown, the adjoining districts both to the north and 
south being unproved. At the east of Lawton, as before-mentioned, 
an anticlinal line runs from north to south, passing through the coal- 
measures, which are there broken off on the westerly dip, bringing 
them into contact with the saliferous beds. 
feet. 
et Lawton the rock-salt found) ...gicceeis<ccesseeseadeeesaes 290 above sea-level. 
Near the same place, brine found .............seeceseeseeees 185 < 
Near the same place, depth at which brine stands ...... 200 & 
Hassall Green, brine not found at..............sceeeeeeeeeee 84 § 
Malkins Brook, brine found ............c:.cceceeceeseseeeees 70 ‘i 
Malkins Brook, brine stands .........se.scesesceseeseseeeees 171 re 
Wheelock Salt-works, brine found ..............0eeeeeeeee 3 below sea-level. 
_ Wheelock Salt-works, brine stands ...........cscceecseenes 93 above sea-level. 
At Sandbach brine was not found at...............0.0c0e00 143 - 
Near Elton a brine-spring rises to the surface............ 130 , 
Near Warmingham brine was not found at ............... 22 below sea-level. 
At Sproston, near Middlewich, brine was not found at a 
little above sea-level. 
At Middlewich brine rises to the surface .................. 120 above sea-level. 
At Middlewich brine is found ............ ce ceccccceeccsece 7 iF 
