In transcribing the following passage from Smith’s text, I have begun with the rough OCR material provided by the Internet Archive and then collated it with the Internet Archive’s page images. If you spot any errors, please notify the webmaster. — George P. Landow
Sand and light loam, mixed with smalt chert pebbles, is most commonly the surface between the stronger lands and chalk.
Heaths may be said to characterize the surface of some of the greatest breadths of these sandy strata, and are the principal feature of the stratum meant to be distinguished by this colour. This character is so striking to those who have seen either Wareham and Pool heaths, Bagshot heath, or Moushold, Cawston, and other heaths about Norwich that it cannot be mistaken. These, with Swaffham and Brandon heaths, and those called Walks, on the sands of East Suffolk, are the greatest breadths of poverty and wretchedness, which this stratum gives to the country which it occupies; but numerous heaths; of less extent, in other parts of its course, which are not of much better quality, may be observed. Much of this land is now, and until lately, much more of it was, appropriated to rabbit-warrens. [41]
Related material
- A County-by-County Geological Description of England’s Counties
- Smith’s Explanation of His Map of Geological Strata in England and Wales
- The History of the Idea of Geological Strata before William Smith’s Formulation and Map
Bibliography
Smith, William. A Memoir to the Map and Delineation of Strata of England and Wales. London: John Cary, 1815.
Created 11 September 2018