544
F. C. J. SPTJREELL ON THE DISCOYERY OF
39. On the Discoveey of the Place where PAiisoLiTHic Implements
were made at Ceatfoed. By F. C. J. Spueeell, P.G.S. (Eead
June 23, 1880.)
.Plate XXIL.
In the large chalk-pit at Crayford, Kent, and in the adjoining
hrick-pits I have noticed for some time flint flakes which I was
unable to convince myself belonged to the brick-earths in which
they were found, believing, from their shape, colour, and mineral
condition, that they had come from another stratum of the river-
I, however, watched regularly, with great care, and during the
late winter found a few flakes which, from their appearance, I felt
belonged to the gently deposited brick- earths in which they lay ; but
they were solitary and rare, and it was not until the beginning of
March last that, on the removal of a part of the face of the cliff, I
came upon a dense layer of chips, specimens of which are exhibited.
Fig. 1. — Section of Cliff at Crayford,
(Scale -jJg- inch to 1 foot,)
.-^i««,v-2^...fih.^^^^^
a. Layer of chips.
d. Chalk.
b. Vegetable soil. c. Chalk rubble,
4- + Bones of Ehinoceros.
The sands and clays constituting the brick-earths of Crayford, lie
under a low cliff of chalk and Thanet Sand, with a cap of gravel known
as Dartford-Heath gravel. This ancient cliff (fig. 1) has in parts
been worn lower than others; at one of these spots, where the wear-
ing has invaded the chalk itself, the brick-earths are exposed lying
against the chalk, which is much weathered and has the face covered
with chalk-rubble ; at the base of this section is a step in the chalk
cliff, and a sort of foreshore seems to have been formed, consisting
here of hard sand., and there of small heaps of flint stones brought
down from the cliff above by aerial action. It is on one of these
small slopes of sand that the layer of flakes was found. The upper-