Devon County Geological Site

Site reference no. SX98SE3 Name: Estuary Cliffs, Sowden Lane

District: East Devon Parish: Lympstone

National grid ref: 99088356-99218342 OS sheets: 1:50k 192 1:25k 1329 1:10k SY98SE GS 1:50k 339 GridRef x y Lat Long SX991834 299100 83400 50.641525 -3.428326

Locality description (address): Estuary cliff 80 metres south of the Sowden Lane shore access.

Nature of site: Estuary cliff exposing Exmouth Sandstone-and-Mudstone formation.

Geological / geomorphological features: Permian, Exmouth Sandstone-and-Mudstone. Red, blocky jointed, silty, finely micaceous, mudstone with pale green mottling tending to be concentrated along the bedding. The mudstone is calcareous with the greater concentration of carbonate occurring in the green streaks and mottles. Thin sandstone beds forming ledges in the foreshore mud can be seen at low tide. The dip of these beds is at a low angle to the east. The passage upwards from the Exe Breccias into the base of the Exmouth Sandstone-and-Mudstone appears to take place at the southern end of Lympstone cliffs (Site SX98SE 2 ) where the lithology becomes more silty and sandy with pale mottling.

Reasons for registration as a Regionally Important Geological / Geomorphological Site: A good exposure of the mudstone facies of the Exmouth Sandstone and Mudstone which is seldom seen inland.

Site sensitivity: None at present

Safety: Safe but tidal.

Interest groups: Schools. Years 5-11: Years 12-16: Years 17-18. University. Undergraduate - Research Professional geologists - Amateur geologists - General public.

Access and Parking: Access along foreshore from Sowden Lane subject to state of tide. Parking possible for cars on foreshore subject to state of tide. Otherwise very limited parking for 2-3 cars or minibus at railway bridge over Sowden Lane.

Date of assessment (V = visited) : V 18th July 1996 R T Taylor

Site owner : Public access

Other comments: The cliff section appears to subject to active erosion with falls from the face. The exposure may eventually be lost if protection work has to be undertaken.

References: SELWOOD, E.B., and others. 1984. Geology of the Country around Newton Abbot. Memoirs of the British Geological Survey, Sheet 339. London. HMSO.