OLIVER: MINERAL SPRINGS OF THE WEST RIDING. 337 
I. — The Grand Anticlinal of the West Riding. 
The strip of country, some 20 miles from north to south, and 
having its western limit in a line with Chtheroe, on the borders of 
Lancashire, and its eastern defined by the Magnesian Limestone of 
Knaresbro' and Ripon, is well characterized geologically by the 
general disposition of the strata, which is that of an anticlmal with 
the strike of the bedding from westward to eastward, and the dips 
northward and southward. 
When, however, studied more in detail, the disturbances of the 
formations are found to constitute several anticlinal folds, running 
for varying distances between south-westerly and north-easterly 
points, rather than one grand uniform displacement. But there is one 
series of observed disturbances, indicating an anticlinal axis which can 
be made out for the most part throughout the whole district — namely, 
from Harrogate to Beckwith, Timble, Denton and Beamsley Moors, 
Bolton Bridge, Draughton, to the north side of Skipton, Broughton, 
and thence to the north of Clitheroe. Similar, but shorter lines of 
anticlinal dips can also be distinctly traced from Whitwell to Slaid- 
burn and Malham, and also from Raygill to the south side of 
Skipton; and furthermore, I believe there is another but less 
sharply defied group of anticlinal displacements between Bolton and 
Aldfield, near Ripon. These four tracks appear to me to fairly 
indicate in a general way not only the most disturbed and crumpled 
part of the district, but also the most centric portions of the grand 
anticlinal, along which the lower beds — Yoredale and Mountain 
Limestone, and shales — either approach the surface, or are there 
exposed by denudation; while throughout on the north and the 
south the anticlinal is mainly flanked by massive beds of Millstone 
Grit and Shales. 
To the west of Bolton Bridge the Mountain and Yoredale 
Limestone and Shales are found in the lower levels and valleys, and 
the Millstone Grit caps the hills ; but to the east of the Wharfe the 
Carboniferous Limestone does not come to the surface, the Yoredale 
formations only crop up at Harrogate and in the district about three 
miles to the south-west of it, and various members of the Millstone 
Grit series form all the anticlinal and synclinal folds and crumplings. 
