THE MIDDLE LIAS OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE. 
277 
approximately from north-east to south-west, but that there 
is a considerable easterly extension of it fairly parallel with 
and on both sides of the River Neil, to within about two miles 
of Northampton. Over very much of the area which is 
shown as Marlstone in the maps of the Geological Survey 
there is a thin capping of Upper Lias* which, although 
ignored, is rather important as affecting the quality of the 
rock below, and the amount of water received by it. 
Beginning at the extreme south-western portion of the 
county, we find a most interesting exposure of the rock-bed 
at King’s Sutton. The rock here is rather rich in iron, and 
was for some time worked as an ironstone. This quarry has 
yielded more rare and interesting fossils than any other in 
the county ; they include Ammonites spinatus (certainly rare 
in Northamptonshire), a large P l eurotom aria, Trigonia Lingo- 
nmsis, Crania Grijfini, Spirifera oxggona, S pi riferina Walcottii , 
Spiriferina rostrata, three species of coral , and a dichotomous 
Ceriopora. Most of the commoner fossils are also found, and 
some in abundance. 
The King’s Sutton section and many others in the neigh¬ 
bourhood of Banbury have been described by Mr. T. Beesley, 
F.C.S.,f and Mr. E. A. Walford, F.G.S.,J and I gladly ackow- 
ledge the assistance I have received from their pamphlets, 
particularly Mr. Walford’s, as treating of sections chiefly in 
Northamptonshire. 
The King’s Sutton quarry has been so long disused that 
comparatively little can be got there now. A somewhat 
similar section may, however, be examined on the other side 
of the valley, at Adderbury. 
There are three or four sections near to Thenford, and 
one rather a good one, although on first visiting the neigh¬ 
bourhood I was assured by an inhabitant that there were no 
stone pits about. The section is as follows :— 
Section of Quarry South of ’Thenford. 
1. S o i 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... 
Feet In. 
1 0 
“ Communis" Beds — 
2.—Light-coloured marly clay, with many small 
Ammonites and Belemnites ... ... ... 2 6 
* See sections to follow. 
f “ A Sketch of the Geology of the Neighbourhood of Banbury,” 
by Mr. Tlios. Beesley, F.C.S. 
f “On Some Middle and Upper Lias Beds in the Neighbourhood 
of Banbury,” by Edwin A. Walford. 
Both published by the Warwickshire Naturalists’ and Archaeolo¬ 
gists’ Field Club. 
