20 
ALLUVIAL DEPOSITS. 
shells of the same species as those that occur in 
Lewes Levels. In that division of the marsh called 
Hoo Levels, a submarine forest was discovered a 
few years since. It lies in the western extremity 
of Bexhill parish, just above low water mark, 
adjacent to a manor farm of the Duke of Dorset, 
called Conden, nearly midway between Hastings 
and Eastbourn. The following description, from 
an anonymous correspondent, was published in the 
Gentleman’s Magazine for I7 — 
“ In this place there are the remains of 200 or 
more trees, which are firmly rooted to the soil, 
now become sand, and still retain their perpen- 
dicularity, and original position. Some of the 
trees are four or five feet above the surface ; others 
have been cut down, or rather, I conjecture, worn 
away by the continued flux and reflux of the 
water. The ramifications, &c. of the roots are very 
perfect. The trees are of the same species as 
those of which our Sussex woods are composed, 
being principally oak and birch. At high water 
this spot is covered by the sea to the depth of ten 
or twelve feet ; so that it is evident that the earth 
must here have experienced some grand convul- 
sion, as it is utterly impossible, under present 
circumstances, that any other than marine vege- 
tation could thrive or even exist there. 
“ The adjacent country, inland, is a marsh from 
which the sea has been expelled, and is now kept 
out with great difficulty, and at a vast expense, 
and there is no woodland nearer than four miles, 
on the hill adjoining these levels.” 
The marsh called the Wtsh, near Eastbourn, 
