The BCkss horizon has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 6 or 7, and chroma of 2 to 4. Redox features are present in shades of brown, yellow, or gray. Small and medium sized slickensides are common. Calcium carbonate equivalent ranges from 10 to 35 percent by volume. The C horizon, where present, has hue of 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 6 or 7 and chroma of 2 to 6.
Texture is silty clay loam, silty clay, or clay interbedded with layers of shale and siltstone.
Similar soils are the Ferris series. Chapel soils have mean annual soil temperature between 60 and 65 degrees F. Frelsburg soils have sola thicker than 80 inches, and have chroma of less than 2 to depths greater than 20 inches. In additin, Medlin soils developed in residuum weathered from Cretaceous age materials. Ferris soils do not have a calcic horizon within 40 inches of the surface, are in slightly lower precipitation areas, have cracks that remain open for more cumulative days each year, and formed in Cretaceous age member of the Taylor Formation . Latium soils are on gently sloping to moderately steep uplands.