Reclaiming part of Forest of Delamerc. 
3G9 
XX. — A Description of the Works for Reclaiming and Marling 
parts of the late Forest of Delamcre, in the County of Cheshire. 
By Richard B. Grantham, Civil Engineer and F.G.S. 
Tins woodland is situated between the towns of Chester and 
Northwich, being' distant about ten miles from the former and 
seven miles from the latter. The turnpike-road between the two 
towns runs through the property. 
The estate contains 4023 acres, in the possession of the Crown 
as woodland, beside Old and New Pale Farms, containing in all 
755 acres, which were reclaimed and brought into cultivation at 
the latter end of last century, under a lease from the Crown. 
The entire district belongs geologically to the new red sand- 
stone formation, and the forest is on the white sandstone (Keiiper) 
and red marl strata of that formation. 
The following is an extract from the memoir attached to the 
Ordnance map, which is geologically coloured : — 
" On Lougley Hill the beds dip east at 9°, and in the valley, which is 
remarkably straight, there is a fault with a slight down-throw on the west, 
which changes the dip. On the top of the hill at Heald there is a small out- 
lier of red marl shown in some marl-pits, the dip being west at 4". Beyond 
this the beds roll over and dip towards the base of Eddisbury Hill, bringing in 
the red marl, which inay be seen in some pits close to the fault, which ranges 
north and south along the western base of the hill. This fault produces a very 
marked feature, and has a down-throw on the west of about 400 feet. 
" Eddisbury Hill reaches an elevation of 583 feet, and from its summit a 
very fine view may be obtained of the Delamere Hills to the north, and of the 
wooded plains which extend eastward and northwards from its base. The top 
of the hill is composed of flags and shales belonging to the highest beds of the 
water-stories. The dip is east at 12°, and the red marl is brought in by a 
north-west fault, which traverses the centre of the hill west of the camp. 
" It should be stated that the greater portion of the Cheshire plain is deeply 
overspread with drift, which renders the geology very obscure." * 
The marl lies in detached spots, and in one part forms a long 
strip stretching towards Honslough, at the northern extremity of 
the forest. 
The irregular distorted nature of the beds (as well as the faults) 
shows how great were the forces by which the disruption was 
effected. 
This irregularity is in some degree an advantage to the estate, 
as some of the marl beds have thereby been rendered more easy 
of access. 
The surface soil of the estate consists of gravel and sand, 
separate, and mixed with occasional beds of peat. The crop 
upon it consisted chiefly of oak, the residue being Scotch fir and 
* The Marl Beds are shown on the map accompanying this paper by broken 
hatching! The Faults are slwrn by strong dotted line (see reference on map). 
