NOTES AND QUERIES. 
157 
volunteer regiment used to cxeixisc upon it. It would seem to be the residuum 
left after tlio bursting out of tlie waters, but there is no appearance of a "road " 
on the western side of the valley, from whicli 1 eame to this conclusion — that, 
during the time of the existence of tlio hike, the prevailing winds must have been 
what tliey are at this day in tliat county, viz., W. and S.VV. ; because these 
■winds alone could have caused those waves which have left their traces on the 
east side. As I do not wish to trespass at length on your columns, I wdl 
only add that a visit to this locality will afford much interest to the geologist. 
I have sent these remarks, hoping it may be the means of inducing some one, 
possessed of more time and a fuller acquaintance with geology than myself, to 
work out more elfectively the problem offered in this interesting locality. — Extract 
of Letter from Rev. Eric Findlater, of Loch Earn Head, by Crieff. 
Notice: of a Stalactite Cave at Cuedder Cliffs, by Mr. J. Jamieson. — 
" The following description of a Stalactite Cave at Chedder Cliffs, Somerset, will, I 
think, be found interesting : and as similar contributions descrihiug the localities 
where remarkable phenomena may be seen and admired will, in some measure, 
enhance the value of your Geological Magazine, it will afford me pleasure if you 
should think this worthy of insertion. 
" Yours obediently, 
"J. J. 
" Arlington Square, London, 5th March, 1858." 
The cliff's and i-ocks most picturesquely arranged on each side of the Banwell- 
road, about three miles from Chedder, will alone amply comiseusate for the time 
and trouble of the journey to view them ; but this locality possesses an additional 
attraction, in a most wonderful Stalactite Cave, discovered accidentally by 
Mr. George Cox, on his own property, in the valley leading to the cliffs, where 
he was excavating the limestone to form a stable. It has since been made perfectly 
easy of access. The beauty of the cave and its formation — the work of ages and 
of centuries hardly to be numbered — make it one of the most wonderful objects 
which can be contemplated. The strange variety of the incrustations, with the en- 
chanting reflections of the scenery in the beautiful natural basins of pure water ; 
the pillars, the festoons, pendant from the roofs of the different alcoves, bring the 
fancies of enchantment into real existence. The water still continues dropping 
from many capillary openings in the roof, and, in addition to its forming stalactitic 
curtains and festoons from the dome of the cave, gives rise also to equally beautiful 
concretions of stalagmite on the floor beneath, whence pillars of a substance as 
semi-transparent and as white as statuary marble, formed by calcareous deposits 
from the continuous droppings from above, are seen gradually rising to meet the 
elegant pendants from the roof 
The following letter of the late Rev. W. D. Conybeare, cannot fail to be 
perused with much interest, in connection with this notice: — 
" Stalactite Cavern, Chedder, 1st July, 1843. 
" Dear Dockland, — Happening to be visiting a friend, with my youngest 
boy, I chose to go round from Banwell hither, to show him Chedder Cliffs, 
and visited this cavern, more to show it to him than expecting to see any- 
thing myself ; but I think it ought to be better known. You must come and 
see it yourself ; it is really the only graceful cave fit for ladies to visit which we 
have ; the only thing I ever saw that at all realizes my ideas of Antipai-os. It hat 
one main porch and three or four lateral branches, narrow fissures, about ten or 
twelve feet broad, and some thirty or forty feet high, vested and draped with the 
most fantastic and beautiful marble stalactite one can conceive. The floor, when 
discovered, was a mass of stalagmite, covering rounded gravel of the mountain lime- 
stone, filling up about ten feet of the bottom. The owner has cut galleries through 
this stalagmite, and he is one of the best showmen of a cave I ever saw, lighting 
the whole with a group of candles on a tin plate, which he raises to the roof, or 
thrusts through the narrow fissures, so as to exhibit the whole to perfection. 
Make this known as the prettiest thing in the island, and come and see it. 
"\V. D, Conybeare." 
