Sept., 1891. 
REPORTS OF SOCIETIES. 
213 
manners of past times. Outside, and still standing in the place of its 
original erection, is a stone cross of supposed Saxon date, ornamented 
with rough sculptures representing scenes from the life of Christ, and 
in the interspaces with scroll-work of a semi-Italian character, which 
would seem to imply that our Saxon forefathers were indebted to the 
South of Europe for their ideas of ornamentation. In the porch is a 
unique collection of stone coffin lids, which had been preserved for 
future generations by being built into the walls of the new edifice in 
1260, whence they were only brought to light in the re-building of 1841. 
These are also supposed to be of Saxon date, and the patterns carved 
on them in some instances bear a close resemblance to the above- 
mentioned scroll-work. The method of working out the patterns on 
the surface of the stone was well shown, for in many places the original 
drill-holes that had been made along the lines drawn were plainly 
discernible, the parts between having been picked out afterwards to a 
rather less depth. In the interior of the church there is an octagonal 
font (Norman), and at the west end a small portion of the original 
Norman wall is still to be seen. Its square angles and simple round- 
headed arches, destitute of architectural ornament, were generally 
considered to indicate eleventh century work. Several interesting 
monuments were seen in the Vernon Chapel, dating from the 14th, 
15tb, and 16th centuries ; and the ornamentation of the chancel carried 
out in recent years was much admired. On reaching the quarry the 
geological section began to collect fossils from the carboniferous lime¬ 
stone, a pursuit which was carried on almost without intermission 
throughout the excursions, and the botanists were already on the look¬ 
out for specimens of the limestone flora. The next morning the party 
were off in good time for a drive of 16 miles to Castleton, taking the 
route by Tideswell. The church here is of special interest, as exhibit¬ 
ing a transition between the decorated and perpendicular styles of 
architecture, and also as containing some beautiful carved screen work 
by a local and living artist, whose acquaintance some members of the 
party were fortunate enough to make. The whole route lay through 
a very interesting country, the monotony of the bleak uplands forming 
a grand contrast to the beautiful variety of rock and foliage in the 
dales, while every wall was in itself a museum of fossils. The 
excavating power of running water was well exemplified in every rocky 
hollow, the sides of which showed layer upon layer of massive lime¬ 
stone, which at one period of the earth’s history must have existed as 
calcareous mud at the bottom of the ocean, the waters of which were 
teeming with molluscan and crinoid life. In Tideswell dale examples 
of “ Toadstone ” were noted, showing that during the formation of the 
limestone there were intervals of volcanic action when huge sheets 
of basaltic lava were creeping along over the ocean bed. In Bradwell 
dale a section was seen showing that other interludes occurred in the 
formation of the deposit, for the lower strata appeared to have been 
lifted near enough to the surface to be within the influence of waves 
and currents, and had been cut off to a fresh level surface, upon which 
were laid down in a horizontal position the succeeding layers of lime¬ 
stone. At Castleton, about three hours were available for exploration, 
and good use was made of the time. Mam Tor, or the “ Shivering 
Mountain,” was ascended, and notes were made of the ancient camp 
crowning its summit, as well as of the strata (Yoredale Shales) which 
are well seen in the faces of a landslip to form the mass of the hill. 
Here the sandy nature of the deposit and the frequent occurrence of 
fragments of land plants, speak of a gradual shallowing of the ocean 
bed with its mantle of calcareous mud, and of the comparative 
