28 
PROCEEDINGS COTTESWOLD CUJB 
1915 
A very disappointing quantity of water was found, so disappointing that 
the site was abandoned.^ But what was most interesting in connection with 
the “ solution ” theory of the origin of dry valleys was that here at all events 
the sequence was perfectly normal : the bottom-beds of limestone above the 
impervious beds were present and not dissolved away. For the first 8 feet 
the shaft passed through reddish clayey soil with subangular fragments of 
limestone from the Forest Marble and Great Oolite. Mr Richardson held 
that in this case the “ solution ” was the most active near the surface, and 
reminded them of the thin vertical fissures filled with crystalline carbonate of 
lime as seen in the core of Great-Oolite limestones from the bore-hole — more 
especially in the beds between 62 feet and loi feet 3 inches down, which sug- 
gested the introducing of the carbonate of lime from percolating waters mainly 
descending from above. Mr J. M. Collett, F.C.S., pointed out that the con- 
siderable amount of stalactitic matter on the faces of the joints, etc., near the 
top of the quarry, and, in one place (south-eastern side) the fluffy white 
carbonate of lime on the surfaces of the rocks supported the opinion that 
solution of the limestone was proceeding more rapidly near the surface than 
deeper down ; while a little lower down the quarry face (and therefore valley 
side) to the right, the rock was much more broken up, and the pieces (most of 
which — to some depth — were sub-angular owing to the action of percolating 
waters from the surface) well separated by cavities. 
To sum up, Mr Richardson considered that the line of this valley was 
established when the Forest-Marble beds were continuous over the district, 
that as the stream lowered its valley the more pervious beds of the Great 
Oolite were laid bare, that the dissolution of the Great-Oolite beds nearest 
the surface then proceeded actively, and that the even downward grade of 
the \'alley had been effected in the wet seasons by means of the streamlet of 
the occasional presence of which they had evidence in the culv'ert under the 
road and the gutter down the field. The 8 feet of reddish loam he regarded 
as being made up of in part residual earth, in part sediment brought down by 
the streamlet and mainly derived from the clay-beds of the Forest Marble, 
and in part aggraded matter from the sides of the valley. In answer to a 
question as to whether it was likely that the excavation of any of the valleys 
could be attributed to work during the Glacial Period, Mr Richardson said 
that he expected the process known as “ nivation ” had assisted in lowering 
hollows, and, of course, the action of the waters from the melting snows in 
closing Glacial times must have had their effect. 
The Rev. H. H. Win wood thanked the Secretary on his own behalf, and 
on that of those present, for a very instructive afternoon. 
I A well at the house close by called “ The Folly” is 80 feet deep. 
