History of the Sarscn.s. 



The many pebbly blocks of Sarsen stones might at first sight 

 suggest that the pebbly Woolwich Beds must have been their 

 especial source, as, indeed they are of the " Hertfordshire Pudding- 

 stone"; but there are many pebbly specimens in Surrey (Wish- 

 moor, &c), and indeed some concretionary blocks in place in the 

 Frimley Ridges were found to be pebbly. Mr. Prestwich stated 

 that " The well-known blocks of light-coloured or nearly white 

 saccharoid sandstone are met with chiefly in the upper beds of these 

 sands, generally just below the gravel. They are found by sounding 

 the sands and gravel with iron rods. 1 Some of these concretions 

 attain a size of 10ft. to 12ft. across, and 3ft. to 4ft. thick. Flint 

 pebbles, sometimes only slightly rounded and angular, at other 

 times perfectly rounded, occur in them. The sandstone is friable 

 when first excavated, but hardens by exposure." Q. J. G. S., vol. 

 iii., pp. 384, 385 ; and fig. 3, p. 38. 



Such blocks were also exposed in similar positions by the railway- 

 cutting through the Frimley Ridges from Woking to Aldershot ; 

 and the stone was used in bridges, &c. 



In the Lower Bagshot Beds (Q. J. G. S., vol. x., p. 382) Mr. 

 Prestwich noticed " a few concretionary masses of saccharoid sand- 

 stone, which are more compact and harder than those in the upper 

 sands, and by no means so abundant." 



In Hampshire, on a surface far above the Woolwich beds, there 

 are pebbly Sarsens. Seven localities of Tertiary sandstone blocks 

 near Southampton and Winchester are mentioned in the Geol. Mag., 

 vol. iii., p. 297, 1866. Four of them were in gravel, and consisted 

 of a small-grained, heavy, and whity -brown saccharoid sandstone ; 

 two of the specimens contained small partially rounded flint pebbles. 

 Three measured : — 



Length. 



Breadth. 



Thickness. 



Inches. 



Inches. 



Inches. 



43 



19 



23i 



23 



19 



15 



23 



24 



7 



1 The stones so obtained are chipped into small squares for paving, and are 

 called Frimley Stone. The holes left by the diggers are dangerous in hunting. 

 Frimley Church and Yorktown Church are largely built of these stones. .. . 



