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estimated by Mr. Jukes to be about 3,000 feet thick, from 
its former low level to such a height that the Wenlock 
limestone, which lay at the bottom of all, now forms the 
highest land in the district, and the coal measures are on 
a level with the surface of the new red sandstone. Thus 
the whole of the Wenlock limestone and shales, and the 
superincumbent coal measures, have been altogether elevated 
at least 3,000 feet above their original position ; the permian 
and new red sandstone measures, which covered the whole 
district, have been broken up and carried away by the 
denuding power of water, and their debris now form the 
large and extensive gravel beds which bound this coal field, 
more especially on its eastern side. 
Now the means by which this vast mass of matter 
was thus elevated, could only have been by the intrusion 
underneath of a mass of matter in a state of fusion from 
igneous action, equal in bulk at least to that which was 
elevated, broken, and denuded from its upper portion : thus 
clearly showing that the present coal field was elevated by a 
mass of igneous matter, at least 3,000 feet thick, and which 
by subsequently cooling, preserved it in its present position. 
During the period of its being so elevated, it was broken 
and fractured, and the numerous faults which now exist 
throughout the district were made. Portions of this igneous 
matter forced a passage through some of these fractures, 
and becoming imbedded amongst the superincumbent strata, 
formed detached masses of igneous rock. 
The largest mass of igneous matter which thus burnt 
through the Wenlock formation and the coal measures, 
became imbedded between the latter and the permian 
formation, and formed the line of basaltic hills which run 
in a south-easterly direction from the town of Dudley to 
the village of Rowley, for about two miles, and from one 
quarter to half a mile wide. This range, called the Rowley 
