Petrology of a Wealden Sandstone at Clock House, Capel, Surrey

Abstract

The topmost band of sandstone in the Weald Clay at Capel (6) is now exposed for 100 yards, and varies in thickness from 8 inches at the southern end of the face to 1 foot at the northern end. The stone is glauconitic and highly micaceous, and carries so much fresh biotite on certain bedding-planes that they are heavily darkened. Flakes of biotite and muscovite commonly reach 2 mm. in diameter, and occasionally 3 mm. No petrological facies like it is known in the older Hastings Beds outcropping to the south and south-east. The petrography of the sandstone therefore merits description, and some discussion of the problems which it raises.