198 SARSEN, BASALT AND OTHER BOULDERS IN ESSEX.
occur in this area, some being of considerable size. Boulders of Neocomian
sandstone are plentiful. Other sandstones and boulders of Jurassic lime-
stone are found. [c.]
Sible Hedingham.—Several sarsens are to be seen about the the village.
Basalt boulders occur near the Church and close to the Brickearth pits;
The latter is 1' 6" x 11/2" x 10". A little further on is a boulder of
Carboniferous limestone (1' x 1' x 4").
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS.
It will be noticed from the foregoing list that Sarsens are
widely distributed in Essex. In the South East and East
of the country these appear to be the only boulders present,
and they occur further north in the Gipping Valley, Suffolk.
They are prevalent also in North East Essex. In some cases
these Tertiary Sandstones show evidence of rootlets, etc., showing
that when formed they were at or near the surface.
Boulders of Herts-conglomerate do not extend so far South
and East as the sarsens, etc., and are most frequent in the
North East part of the county about Arkesden.
The distribution of the boulders of basalt and Neocomian
sandstone is every interesting. There appears to be one
stream of these running roughly East to West in the northern
part of the county, connecting a similar line through South
Cambridgeshire and Suffolk with that in North Hertfordshire
and Bedfordshire. What is apparently a branch of this stream
crosses the county diagonally, irrespective of the existing river
valleys, through Sible Hedingham, Braintree, Felsted, Great
Leighs, Shellow Bowels, High Ongar, Theydon Gernon and the
lower part of the Roding Valley.
The recent discovery by Mr. P. Thompson of a large boulder
of Neocomian sandstone at Chambers' Manor Farm, Epping
Upland, seems to connect the stream with the Hertford district ;
boulders of this rock being found at Hertingfordbury, and Hat-
field Hyde. Basalt boulders also can be traced to Bayford in
Herts.
It is at once apparent that, if such an hypothesis can be
sustained, much denudation has taken place since the boulders
were transported to their present position, and also that in all
probability earth movements of a regional character have taken
place since their introduction.
The specimens of light grey limestone which have been found