Publications
The Geology of the country around Crowhurst, Sussex. Weald Research Committee Report No. 4, by G. S. Sweeting, F.G.S., published 1925 in The Proceedings of the Geologists' Association London (no. 36 issue 4, article, pp.406-418) View Online
Abstract:This paper embodies the results of a geological survey of the country around Crowhurst, Sussex. The area examined is approximately 12 square miles in extent, forming part of I-inch sheet 5 (O.S.), and constituting roughly the eastern half of the 6-inch Ordnance sheet, 57 Sussex. It extends from Battle on the north to Crowhurst on the south, and from Crowhurst Park on the east to Catsfield on the west, Crowhurst being about 4½ miles from the coast towns of Bexhill and Hastings.
Apart from the structural problems germane to the study of any portion of the Central Weald, the chief interest of this area lies in the marked lithological variation characteristic of each member of the Hastings Sands here exposed, so much so that - for the Wadhurst Clay at least - the area constitutes a type locality for the South Weald. Accordingly the trend of this paper is mainly stratigraphical and petrological, structural details being left over for the time being until the wider area has been surveyed and continuity with the coastal structures to the south established.
The names of Tapley, Fitton and Mantell may be recalled as some of the earlier contributors to the investigation of the stratigraphy of this part of the Weald, chiefly by reason of their discoveries of some of the first fossil remains of the huge reptiles which formerly lived in the area.
The country is undulating in character, with parallel ridges usually striking W.N.W. - E.S.E., broken by transverse troughlike depressions, thus presenting a series of picturesque and often unexpected features over comparatively short distances. This type of scenery - which is so characteristic of the central and southern portions of the Weald - owes its origin to no small extent to the varying degrees of hardness of the Wealden rocks, particularly the Wadhurst Clay, and to their folding and faulting.
Apart from the structural problems germane to the study of any portion of the Central Weald, the chief interest of this area lies in the marked lithological variation characteristic of each member of the Hastings Sands here exposed, so much so that - for the Wadhurst Clay at least - the area constitutes a type locality for the South Weald. Accordingly the trend of this paper is mainly stratigraphical and petrological, structural details being left over for the time being until the wider area has been surveyed and continuity with the coastal structures to the south established.
The names of Tapley, Fitton and Mantell may be recalled as some of the earlier contributors to the investigation of the stratigraphy of this part of the Weald, chiefly by reason of their discoveries of some of the first fossil remains of the huge reptiles which formerly lived in the area.
The country is undulating in character, with parallel ridges usually striking W.N.W. - E.S.E., broken by transverse troughlike depressions, thus presenting a series of picturesque and often unexpected features over comparatively short distances. This type of scenery - which is so characteristic of the central and southern portions of the Weald - owes its origin to no small extent to the varying degrees of hardness of the Wealden rocks, particularly the Wadhurst Clay, and to their folding and faulting.
The geological structure of the Ashburnham, Battle and Crowhurst districts (Sussex): With notes on the Wealden iron ore. Weald Research Committee Report, No. 10, by G. S. Sweeting, D.I.C., F.G.S., published 1930 in The Proceedings of the Geologists' Association London (no. 41 issue 1, article, pp.44-52) View Online
Abstract:In 1925 the author published a paper on "The Geology of the Country around Crowhurst (Sussex) "; in this, attention was given to the stratigraphy and petrology of the main rock-types of that district, and the structural details were purposely excluded until a larger area (Ord. Surv. Sheet 57, Sussex), of which Crowhurst forms the eastern part, was surveyed. This has now been done and the final results are presented in this paper.
Wealden iron ore and the history of its industry: Weald Research Communication, No. 32, by G. S. Sweeting, D.I.C., F.G.S., published 1944 in The Proceedings of the Geologists' Association London (no. 55 issue 1, article, pp.1-20) View Online
Abstract:In 1925 and 1930, the writer contributed two small papers to the Proceedings on the geology of various areas in East Sussex from which much iron ore had been extracted in earlier times. In the 1930 paper, some notes were added on "The Wealden Iron Ore," and attention is, therefore, directed to this communication, particularly for chemical analyses of the ore.
To picture South East England with its present quiet and beautiful surroundings as an area of noise and smoke-laden skies would be a difficult matter. Such, however, were the conditions which prevailed in Sussex, Kent and Surrey during Tudor days. Sussex and Kent had from very early times been important producers of iron, and they were destined to become for a time the seat of the largest iron trade in the British Isles.
Iron being the most plentiful and accessible of the metals, it follows that it would be naturally one of the first to be employed by an early race. Though we have no certain knowledge of the beginning of the iron ore industry in South East England, we know that in early times the iron ore in the Weald was of such importance as to be noticed by Caesar before the Christian era, and by Strabo in 20 A.D. The Romans extracted iron on a large scale as is seen by the size of their workings; in fact, during their occupation, there was much activity all over the Weald and iron became one of its chief exports. This is proved by the abundant heaps of iron slag found at Maresfield, Westfield, Seddlescombe, Crowhurst and Ashburnham in Sussex, and at Cowden and Tenterden in Kent.
To picture South East England with its present quiet and beautiful surroundings as an area of noise and smoke-laden skies would be a difficult matter. Such, however, were the conditions which prevailed in Sussex, Kent and Surrey during Tudor days. Sussex and Kent had from very early times been important producers of iron, and they were destined to become for a time the seat of the largest iron trade in the British Isles.
Iron being the most plentiful and accessible of the metals, it follows that it would be naturally one of the first to be employed by an early race. Though we have no certain knowledge of the beginning of the iron ore industry in South East England, we know that in early times the iron ore in the Weald was of such importance as to be noticed by Caesar before the Christian era, and by Strabo in 20 A.D. The Romans extracted iron on a large scale as is seen by the size of their workings; in fact, during their occupation, there was much activity all over the Weald and iron became one of its chief exports. This is proved by the abundant heaps of iron slag found at Maresfield, Westfield, Seddlescombe, Crowhurst and Ashburnham in Sussex, and at Cowden and Tenterden in Kent.