97 
some of the richest coal beds in the Derbyshire and York- 
shire coal field. The escarpment then ranges from Laugh- 
ten-en-le-Morthen and Dinnington (where this lower bed is 
burnt for agricultural purposes) to Anstone, where the rock 
is now quarried for the new houses of Parliament. Upon 
the back of this stratum are the estates of Mr. Athorpe, of 
Dinnington, Mr. Gaily Knight, of Firbeck, Earl of Scar- 
borough, at Sandbeck, Mr. Walker, of Wilsick, Sir Joseph 
Copley, of Sprotbro', Mr. Fountayne Wilson, at Melton, 
Sir F. Wood, at Hickleton, the Thelluson estate at Brods- 
worth, Mr. Ward, of Hooton Pagnell, Mr. Barton, of Sta- 
pleton park, Mrs. Oliver, at Darrington, and Mr. Milnes, 
of Frystone. 
The agricultural character of the soils over the whole of 
this district maintains very great regularity, and the varia- 
tions in quality are due strictly to geological influences. 
Wherever a rapid dip of the rock to the east is found, there 
the depth of the soil is less, and the lands are inferior in 
quality. At Frystone, particularly to the west of the house 
around Sheep Walk-house & Glass Houghton, there is a rapid 
dip, and the soil is not more than three to six inches thick. 
At Stapleton park, and in other places around Broccodale 
and Darrington, the same effects are seen. Also upon the 
higher parts of Barnsdale. There are also other places on 
the south and north side of the Don, where the soils are 
found often averaging from three to six inches, as at Edling- 
ton, and near Melton, Sprotbro', &c. In fact, wherever there 
exist east and west valleys, which indicate the passage of 
floods of water over this stratum, the rock seems to have 
been completely laid bare, or what is probable, the harder 
undecomposable rock has been left exposed. Over the whole 
of this stratum the depth will be a correct diagnosis of the 
quality of the soil. Some lime burnt at Levett Agg is sold 
for agricultural purposes. 
