206 
BORING AT SHILLINGFORD. 
Sep., 1891. 
C. E. Prior.* He mentions a band of saliferous rock, “ which 
appears to extend with the Oxford Clay formation from the 
northern border of the parish of Kempston across Wootton, 
and some way into Stanton. Analyses of waters from wells 
along this line gave the following results, the figures repre¬ 
senting grains per gallon :— 
Total 
Solids. 
Chlorine. 
SO 4 . 
Wootton Hall End (Keep’s Well).. 
229-6 
.. 42-7 
Wootton Hall End (new well) 
249-9 
.. 41-4 
Wootton Church End (1877).. 
199-5 
.. 39-2 
Wootton House (1885). 
188-4 
.. 38-6 .. 
57-19 
Lower Shelton Marston. 
209-8 
.. 72-1 .. 
47-8 
“ The enormous quantity of chlorine in these waters, 
existing probably in the form of common salt (chloride of 
sodium), is almost entirely derived from the stratum of salt¬ 
bearing rock, which extends, so far as I know, for many miles, 
and forms a serious drawback in any undertaking for the 
provision of water by other than shallow wells in this district. 
Chlorine in river waters and some others is often and justly 
regarded, according to its quantity, as an indicator of pollution ; 
the above however seems to show that in some districts its 
indications must be accepted with great reserve, and that it 
requires corroboration by excess of ammoniacal and organic 
matters found. One or two of the above waters were very 
pure in these respects.” 
The saliferous rock in this case is probably the Kellaways, 
for the places mentioned are all on the lower part of the 
Oxford Clay, 
The well at the Bedford County School also yielded salt 
water. Mr. A. G. Cameron informs me that this is seventy- 
five feet deep, passing through gravel, Cornbrasli clay, and 
Cornbrash limestone, into Great Oolite, and finding water in 
a stone bed below a band of clay. The water was analysed by 
Dr. Prior, who found 218 grains of solid matter in the gallon, 
86'5 being chlorine, and indicating a iarge amount of sodium 
chloride (about 187 grains). The water had a greenish tinge, 
and tasted salt. 
Water containing a large quantity of sodium chloride 
(150 to 185 grains per gallon) was obtained from the boring 
at Bletchley, and this also appears to have risen from the 
sandstone of the Kellaway Bock. 
* I am indebted to my colleague, Mr. A. G. Cameron, for calling 
my attention to this report. 
