The geology of the country around Cheltenham; Sheet 44 of the Geological survey - Softcover

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1857 Excerpt: ...feet. Stone Steps, 2 edit. p. 20. It is needless to dwell longer on this band, as the geologist will be able, by inspecting the map, to calculate its thickness in the various localities where it occurs, as well as observe its superficial limits. Great Oolite. It has been shown that the Inferior Oolite is capable of subdivision into several members, which are continuous and distinguishable over considerable areas both by mineral character and their inclosed organisms. The case is similar with the Great Oolite, which may be separated into upper and lower zones over the entire district, each of which may be advantageously described separately. These two zones might be termed "Stonesfield Slate," and "Great Oolite; " but the former is objectionable, as it would be a misnomer if applied to the whole district; and the latter is inconvenient, as it applies to a part a name which properly belongs to the whole. I therefore propose upper and lower zones as simple terms by which to designate these subdivisions. Lower Zone of the Great Oolite.--Stonesfield Slate. This is an exceedingly variable series of beds, being composed in some places of sandy flags, slates, and blue limestones, and in others, of white oolitic freestone, with much false bedding, and not unlike the freestones of the Inferior Oolite. Where these beds become sandy and fissile, as at Sevenhampton Common, Througham, Eyeford, and Naunton, they are capable of being split into slates, which form a very suitable roofing material, especially for buildings built in the Tudor or other styles of Gothic architecture; on the other hand, where they assume a highly oolitic type, as at Farnington, Windrush, and Tainton Downs, an observer would scarcely imagine them to be on the same geological h...