|
1:250 000 Geological Map
This range of geological maps show the general geology of the area, they come in either folded (for taking on the field), or flat (for wall mounting)
Buy from UKGE |
|
1: 50 000 Geological Map
This range of geological maps show the localised geology, they come in either folded (for taking on the field), or flat (for wall mounting)
Buy from UKGE |
Jurassic
GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE: Gondwanaland continues to break up, Graywacke,
shale and siliceous sediments formed. Continued mountain building.
mild, moist climates over most of the land.
TERRESTRIAL ANIMAL LIFE: Reptiles dominant with Crocodiles, turtles,
lizards and dinosaurs. Pterosaurs and Archaeopteryx take to the air.
Mammals begin to diversify. More advanced insects such as flies.
PLANT LIFE: Cycads, ginkos, conifers, ferns and tree ferns.
SEA LIFE: All major invertebrate groups well represented, ammonites and bivalves successful. Marine reptiles, Ichthyosaurs are Plesiosaurs.
Cretaceous
GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE: Seas flood half the land, Great thickness of
chalk, single-celled animals laid down. Land masses
begin to move towards their present positions. Climate mild without
extremes.
TERRESTRIAL ANIMAL LIFE: Advanced dinosaurs such as duck-bills. Turtles,
snakes,salamanders. Gulls and wading birds. Opossums & other mammals.
All dinosaurs and many other large reptiles extinct by the end of
the period.
PLANT LIFE: Gymnosperms, sequoias and cypresses. Flowering plants appear,
magnolias and oaks.
SEA LIFE: Plankton, coral reefs, rudists, ammonites, calcareous algae.
Marine reptiles and ammonites extinct by the end of the period. |
|
Geological Guide to Lulworth Cove
The Portland Beds form the horns at the mouth of the cove, the cove has been formed by erosion of the softer beds to the North. Erosion at the cove slowed dramatically once the Wealden had been eroded and the cove extended to the Chalk of Bindon Hill.
On the west side, sections at Stair Hole provide a chance to see the full succession of the Purbeck Beds. Some 54m of these beds including the Cinder Bed with Lulworth Beds below.
The upper cliffs at the middle of the cove are Upper Chalk of the Cortestudinarium and Coranguinum zones. There is also a fault here with middle and lower chalk exposures dipping 55 degrees north. The North-east and North-west of the cove cuts into Wealden and Lower Greensand, Gault and Upper Greensand.
East of the cove, and you can see the famous 'fossil forest'. The trees of the forest rooted themselves into a bed known as 'Great Dirt Bed', which is on top of the Purbeck limestones and oolites.
Bindon Hill - Upper Chalk
Coniacian
86.0 to 89.0 |
| Ramsgate Chalk |
Lulworth Cove |
Broadstairs Member |
|
Seaford Chalk |
Cuckmere |
|
Seven Sisters Flint Band |
|
Belle Tout |
|
Lewes Nodular Chalk |
Shoreham |
|
Beachy Head |
|
Light Point |
|
Beeding |
|
Hope Gap |
|
Cliffe |
|
Barremian
121 - 127 MYA |
Wealden |
Vectis |
Shepherd's Chine |
|
Barnes High Sandstone |
|
Cowleaze Chine |
|
Wessex |
|
| Wealden Shales |
Swanage
Lulworth Cove |
| Speeton Clay Formation (B-Bed) |
Speeton |
Berriasian
136 - 141 MYA |
H
A
S
T
I
N
G
S
G
R
O
U
P |
Early Ashdown Formation |
|
Purbeck |
Durlston
Formation |
Unio Beds |
|
Broken Shell lst |
Chief Beef Beds |
Corbula Beds |
Scallop Beds |
Intermarine Beds |
Cinder Beds |
|
|
|
Our International Rock
and Fossil Magazine |
 
|
