AYMESTRY LIMESTONE

aymestry limestone, an inconstant limestone which occurs locally in the ludlow series of silurian rocks, between the upper and lower ludlow shales. it derives its name from aymestry in herefordshire, where it may be seen on both sides of the river lugg. it is well developed in the neighbourhood of ludlow (it is sometimes called the ludlow limestone) and occupies a similar position in the ludlow shales at woolhope, [v.03 p.0074] the abberley hills, may hill and the malvern hills. in lithological character it varies greatly; in one place it is a dark grey, somewhat crystalline limestone, elsewhere it passes into a flaggy, earthy or shaly condition, or even into a mere layer of nodules. when well developed it may reach 50 ft. in thickness in beds of from 1 to 5 ft.; in this condition it naturally forms a conspicuous feature in the landscape because it stands out by its superior hardness from the soft shales above and below. the most common fossil is _pentamerus knightii_, which is extremely abundant in places. other brachiopods, corals and trilobites are present, and are similar to those found in the wenlock limestone. (see silurian.)