74
NOTES ON THE GRAVEL IN EPPING FOREST.
By T. HAY WILSON.
SINCE Mr. Whitaker's work on the "Geology of London" was
issued, some new sections have been made in various parts of
the Forest, north of Chingford, which I have been able to examine
from time to time, and it has been suggested that a few notes of my
observations might be of some interest to the geological members of
the Club.
Section at "Copt Hall." One of these sections I was able
to examine by the kindness of Mr. Jennings, the agent of the
"Copt Hall" estate. It is in "Warren Wood," nearly opposite the
Forest Camp, Ambresbury Banks; its position is practically indicated
on the Drift Map of the Geological Survey by the letter "L." in
"Loam," where a very good section has been opened. A little
farther north-east, in the same wood, a good deal more gravel has
been dug out, and the siftings are still there. This gravel differs
from that of the neighbouring pits at "Jack's Hill," classed by
Professor Prestwich1 as "Westleton Beds" inasmuch as the pebbles
of quartz and quartzite are of considerable size, and there are also
large flints, some worn and others unworn. Some of the larger
blocks of hard, weathered sandstone contained about 300 cubic
inches. The bulk of the gravel is of well-rolled flints, and the small
quartz pebbles, found at "Coopersale Common" and "Jack's Hill"
(Westleton) are not plentiful. The section is about 5 feet deep, and
the gravel lies in festoons, the upper part being close to the surface
of the ground; the sandy matrix is reddish brown in colour, bleaching
to grey when exposed.
"Earl's Path," High Beach. At the side of the "Earl's
Path," between High Beach and Loughton, a large quantity of
gravel has been excavated, to a depth of about 15 feet from the
surface. The sandy matrix is somewhat similar to that in "Warren
Wood." Quartz and quartzites of a good size are common, but not
the small pebbles of the "Westleton Beds" type. Large flints of
all shapes are also plentiful, and small rolled pebbles reach to the
surface; they are not, however, as close together as they are lower
down. The larger flints are in the lowest position.
1 Quart. Journal Geol. Soc. May 1890, (vol. xlvi.).