44 
The prospect, although a little obscured by the heat of the weather, was 
very extensive, embracing as it did the range of the Mendips from Crook's 
Peak to Glastonbury Tor, and still more distant, the Quantocks were to be 
seen towering up dimly through the haze. 
After the view had been duly admired, the party sat down in a circle round 
the President, who proceeded to explain the geological features of the Knoll, 
and the surrounding country. 
He said — "After the deposition of strata, to the extent of perhaps ten miles 
in thickness, including the Lauarentian, the Cambrian, and "the Silurian, the 
old red sandstone followed, and upon this were accumulated the strata of 
the limestone and coal measures. The southern boundary of the Bristol 
Coal Basin, formed by the range of the Mendip Hills, is composed of these 
last-named formations. The central parts of this range present the outcrop 
of the old red sandstone, uplifted, and bearing on both its northern and 
southern slopes the limestone beds, with corresponding dips to the north and 
south. The new red sandstone follows next, and then the lias. Brent 
Knoll is composed of lias strata, surrounded by an alluvial plain. But as 
the upper beds of the new red sandstone have descended many feet, probably 
at least fifty, below the base of the Knoll, so only the middle and upper 
divisions of the lias are present in this remarkable hill. Further, as other 
strata were evidently continuous, originally, with the corresponding strata 
at Mark, and Wedmore, and Puriton, a striking example is here presented 
of the enormous amount of denudation which has been effected by marine 
action during the depression and elevation of the land. Brent Knoll is 
capped by the first-formed beds of the inferior oolite. The alluvial tract of 
country surrounding the Knoll is the result of marine deposits during post- 
tertiary times. A layer of peat at the depth of twenty-eight feet is evidence 
of depression, not only to this extent, but from a height sufficient to escape the 
action of the highest spring tides. Other accumulations of vegetable matter 
at less depths indicate similar changes of level. At Stolford, situate in the 
estuary of the Parrett, a large number of trunks of trees are visible at low 
water of spring tides, indicating that the gronnd supporting them has sunk 
probably as much as fifty feet." 
Mr. Sanders concluded his remarks by requesting Mr. Poole to afford the 
members some information with respect to the ancient historical reminiscences 
connected with the Knoll, and the part of Somersetshire in its immediate 
neighbourhood. 
