The Faulted Inlier of Carboniferous Limestone at Upper Vobster (Somerset)

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Abstract
I. Introduction. The faulted inliers of Carboniferous Limestone at Luckington, Upper Vobster, and Tor Rock, Vobster, respectively, are three small masses lying in the Coal Measures of the southernmost portion of the East Somerset Coalfield, at distances varying from about a mile and a quarter to half a mile north of the main outcrop of the Carboniferous Limestone in the Eastern Mendips. The highly disturbed condition of the Carboniferous strata in this coalfield is well known. Throughout the district east of Nettlebridge, in which these inliers are situated, the strata of the Coal Measures are overfolded and in places greatly contorted, as was shown by Buckland & Conybeare in 1824. The anomalous position of these masses of Carboniferous Limestone has given rise to much comment and speculation by geological writers. Since attention was drawn to two of them by Buckland & Conybeare, the inliers have been the subject of several papers, apart from many incidental references made to them. The contributions of Mr. H. B. Woodward and Mr. James McMurtrie are particularly noteworthy, on account of the conflicting theories advanced by these authors to explain the position of the masses. Mr. Woodward has invoked a fan-shaped anticline broken by faults to explain the phenomena. Mr. McMurtrie, strongly combating this explanation, has elaborated an ‘overthrow theory’ in its place. The latter writer has given descriptive notes on each of the three inliers, and recorded many important facts in regard to them. Two papers by the Rev. H. H. Winwood, which give