No. 10 affords very good flags, for which purpose it has been sometimes quarried. Some of the other sandstone beds at this wyke, and to the north of it, are also quarried, for architectural uses.

In No. 11 we have the first decided appearance of coal. A little to the north of the wyke, beyond the place where the higher strata are interrupted, a seam of coal is found, which has sometimes been wrought. Like the other coal seams along the shore, it is so thin, that, unless where it is of very easy access, it will scarcely repay the expense of working. This bed and the strata above it, rise rather rapidly in the Cloughton cliffs; while fresh beds of sandstone and shale appear beneath.

Here, however, the lower beds are soon entirely concealed, by a remarkable slip of the upper strata, extending longitudinally along the shore, like the slip between Cayton mill and Scarborough; and producing, like that, a higher and a lower cliff, with an extensive platform between them. In the higher cliff we see the strata in their regular order, as at the wyke: but in the lower cliff, which is washed by the sea, they are, as might be expected, broken and irregular. The intermediate platform, which no doubt was once on a level with the surface at the top of the upper cliff, is of considerable extent; being in some places nearly a furlong in breadth, and reaching in length above half a mile, the slip terminating at Haiburn wyke, the next remarkable creek on this shore. The falling of this slip comes within the reach of tradition. It is said to have taken place at the distance of about four generations,

or within the last 200 years.

North-west from Haiburn wyke, the strata are again interrupted, by the deep valley, or ravine, through which Haiburn beck flows into the sea. That this interruption has not been produced by the stream wearing its channel, nor by the mere washing away of the strata, may be inferred from the singular appearance of some large beds of sandstone at the mouth of the beck, on the north side. These beds are curiously bent, in the form of a segment of a circle, with the hollow part uppermost ; indicating, that the interruption at this wyke has been connected with a depression, break, or curvature, of the strata.

Beyond this interruption, we again meet with steep and lofty cliffs, in which the strata are continued in regular order. And here we may remark, that as the strata, after their rapid rise from Cloughton wyke, become nearly horizontal in the high cliffs to the south of Haiburn wyke, so they preserve a similar direction in the Stainton Dale cliffs, their rise being for the most part very gradual.”

FOSSIL PLANTS.-The discovery of a deposit of Fossil Plants has been recently made here, display-. ing many distinct arundinaceous species.

TUMULUS.

A tumulus in Ellis-close farm, in the township of Cloughton, on being recently opened, disclosed, at about four feet from the surface, a bed of ashes and bones, eight or ten inches in depth; but no farther discovery was effected.

ANCIENT

BRITISH VILLAGE,

NEAR

CLOUGHTON.

Mr. Knox's Map of the Environs of Scarborough, by pointing out some considerable foundations near Cloughton, excited much interest, which occasioned an examination of the spot to be entered into in the autumn of 1828, and the following interesting letter, developing the plan, and containing the result of the discoveries made, was addressed to John Tindall, Esq., Banker, Scarborough.

The very great interest which you expressed, respecting the existing remains of the inhabitants of "by-gone days" in this county; but, in particular, those in the immediate neighbourhood of Scarborough, is the only apology I have to offer, for the following observations, hastily thrown together, relative to those ancient and singular remains in the vicinity of Cloughton.

I seized the first opportunity that my engagements presented, to visit that place; I regret my time was so limited, that consequently my examination was hurried; nor could I, for the same reason, employ that useful assistant in all" antiquarian explorings"-the spade; without the aid of which, much that is almost

B

invaluable, in the estimation of the antiquary, must "remain hid from mortals' eyes."

The curiosity that had been created by your previous description, instead of subsiding, has been excited, to know something more of this extraordinary place; and let me not be suspected of presuming too much, if I express a hope that you will, ere long, investigate it more attentively. I am not aware that it has received any notice hitherto, from those who have written on the history or antiquities of this district. It has been overlooked or unknown.

From the reasons already given, I scarcely dare advance any opinion of my own; I shall, as much as I possibly can, confine myself to detail; and my object will be fully answered, if I can draw the attention of others, who are more competent to the task of preserving remains of evidently high antiquity, from the oblivion to which they seem to have been doomed: indeed, if the system that has been in operation for several years past be perserved in, nothing will be left but the name. For twentyfive years, to the knowledge of one individual, has the work of destruction been carrying on, by some modern Goths, with a determination to annihilate every vestige! The first object that I shall notice, as being very singular, if not