sign in sign up
<<
Home , Bradgate Park, Charnia, Charnwood Forest, Charnwood Lodge, Whitwick

The Neoproterozoic rocks of the area,

Leader: Mike Howe (British Geological Survey)

Meet: Saturday 5th July 2014 at 10:30 am.

Place: Meet at car park (SK 4589 1618) at 10:30 am. The car park is approached along a drive running south from Road and is open to the public. It is free, but with a box for donations. Toilets and picnic benches are available, so an early arrival is recommended. There will be a charge for parking at (Old John – Hunts Hill entrance), likely to be £3 or £5 depending upon how long we stay. To maximise the , please bring packed lunches, but there are several for refreshments afterwards.

To get there: Take the M42/A42 until the A511 exit for and Ashby De La Zouch. Head east towards Coalville. Cross three roundabouts until you reach a traffic light controlled crossroads. Turn left (signposted King Edward VII Community College & Hospital) and go northeast along Broom Leys Road/Meadow Lane. You will come to a crossroads with the Forest Rock on your left. Go straight across, up Abbey Road and take the first left into Oaks Road and continue until you see the entrance to the Abbey on your left.

Safety: Hard hats are not required, but hi-vis tabards are recommended. Strong walking boots are ideal, together with thick socks and trousers to minimise the risk from ticks in Bradgate Park. There is no hammering at any of the localities.

Geological Features of the Excursion:

The (Late Neoproterozoic, ) rocks of Charnwood Forest are of international significance; particularly so in the development of our understanding of the . The discovery of masoni by three schoolboys in 1957 (but see [1]) led to the re-evaluation of previous finds in and the realisation that they were of Precambrian age.

The Charnian rocks are dominantly volcaniclastic sediments, but with two volcanic complexes. In addition there are two sets of intrusions of . The whole is overlain by conglomerates, quartzites and slates – previously also thought to be of Precambrian age. The area is interpreted to have been formed in an island arc, in a setting very similar to .

We shall start by examining rocks from the Volcanic Complex used in the wall of the Abbey [2] and then investigate the relationships between the volcanic complex and the surrounding sedimentary sequence. We will visit Morley quarry in the Blackbrook Group, the oldest part of the sedimentary sequence, where BGS drilled a borehole [3]. We will then visit Bradgate Park [4] to view the younger sediments of the Maplewell Group and investigate their intriguing sedimentology, including the effects of earthquakes, before discussing the Ediacaran biota. We will also view quartzites of the Cambrian Brand Group and the intrusive South Charnwood Diorite. If time permits, we will search for the trace Teichichnus in Churchyard, which proved the Cambrian age of the Formation.

[1] Howe, Mike P.A.; Evans, Mark; Carney, John N.; Wilby, Philip R. 2012. New perspectives on the globally important Ediacaran fossil discoveries in Charnwood Forest, UK: Harley's 1848 prequel to Ford (1958). Proceedings of the Yorkshire Geological Society, 59, (2), 137-144. 10.1144/pygs2012-321. http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/20987/1/Historical%20Review%20Paper_V17_Oct.pdf

[2] Carney, J N, 2010. Guide to the geology of Mount St. Bernard, , Warren Hills and , Charnwood Forest. British Geological Survey Open Report, OR/10/044. http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/12098/1/OR10044.pdf

[3] BGS OpenGeoscience Borehole Scans: http://www.bgs.ac.uk/data/boreholescans/home.html and specifically: http://scans.bgs.ac.uk/sobi_scans/boreholes/216505

[4] Carney, J N, 2010. Guide to the geology of Bradgate Park and Swithland Wood, Charnwood Forest. British Geological Survey. British Geological Survey Open Report, 0R/10/041. http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/11705/1/Bradgate_Guide_JNC2010.pdf