Oct., 1891. midland union of natural history societies. 225 
Wednesday, 14th October. 
Excursion. 
There will be an excursion of great geological, botanical, 
and archaslogical interest, under the guidance of members of 
the Dudley Society thoroughly acquainted with the district, 
which will include visits to 
I. The Dudley Castle Limestone Caverns and Dudley 
Priory. 
II. The Wren’s Nest. 
III. The Clay Croft Open Coal Work. 
IV. Baggeridge Woods and Himley Park. 
All by special permission of G. H. Claughton, Esq., on behalf 
of the Right Hon. the Earl of Dudley. The route, although 
it commences in the Black Country, embraces towards the 
end some of the most beautiful spots in the neighbour¬ 
hood, which are only accessible by special permission and 
arrangement. The party will assemble in the Dudley Castle 
Courtyard on the arrival of the train from Birmingham at 
9 30 a.m. Thence the party will walk to the Limestone 
Caverns, which will be illuminated by the kindness of the 
Earl of Dudley. Thence the walk will be to the Priory, and 
then carriages (2s. each person) to the Wren’s Nest, where a 
bread and cheese luncheon will be provided. 
As much as possible of the old limestone workings will be 
seen on the way, and especially the large galleries open on 
the east side, commonly called the Daylight Caverns, which 
are extensive, and produce a striking effect. The various 
sections of the hill, and the modes of working the limestone, 
will be explained. 
From the foot of the Wren’s Nest the carriages will take 
the party to the Clay Croft Open Work, where a very large 
area of thick coal (twelve yards in thickness), forming a 
complete basin, will be seen all uncovered at one time, as 
well as enough of the underground working to show the mode 
of getting coal. The whole distance to be walked up to 
this point will be about two miles. 
From the Clay Croft Open Coal Work the carriages will 
take the party to the quarries in the Aymestry Limestone at 
Sedgley. From Sedgley Beacon, if the weather is fine, 
there is an extensive view—quite close is the Western Bound¬ 
ary Fault of the South Staffordshire Coalfield, on the other 
side of which the formations are Permian and New Red 
Sandstone, extending over the whole area from the Western 
Boundary Fault to the Shropshire Coalfield. Whether the 
Coal Measures underlie the New Red Sandstone and Permian 
which fills this valley, is a question of much interest. 
