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Download a Pdf of the Gloucestershire Cotswolds LGAP Here GLOUCESTERSHIRE COTSWOLDS GEODIVERSITY AUDIT & LOCAL GEODIVERSITY ACTION PLAN (LGAP) 2005 GLOUCESTERSHIRE COTSWOLDS GEODIVERSITY AUDIT & LOCAL GEODIVERSITY ACTION PLAN (LGAP) Prepared by Gloucestershire Geoconservation Trust in partnership with: The Geology Trusts Cotswolds AONB Conservation Board IHS Energy Ltd. Principal Authors: David Owen Bill Price Claire Reid With contributions from: Hannah Evans, Nick Chidlaw, Chris Toland, and John Conway This Geodiversity Audit and Local Geodiversity Action Plan (LGAP) has been prepared by Gloucestershire Geoconservation Trust, in partnership with The Geology Trusts, Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Conservation Board and IHS Energy Ltd., with funding from the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund (ALSF) administered by the Minerals Industry Research Organisation (MIRO) via the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. This publication and references within it to any methodology, process, service, manufacturer or company do not constitute its endorsement by the Minerals Industry Research Organisation or the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. ISBN 1-904530-07-9 Bibliographical Reference: Owen, D., Price, W. and Reid, C. 2005. Gloucestershire Cotswolds: Geodiversity Audit & Local Geodiversity Action Plan. Gloucester: Gloucestershire Geoconservation Trust. Cover photograph: The Cotswold Escarpment Between Crickley Hill and Shurdington Hill Lists of sites in this document have been compiled from records in the Gloucestershire Geological Records Centre. Sites have been selected for their representitiveness and geological merits. Their listing implies no right of access and in all instances access must be arranged in advance with the appropriate landowner. Topographic maps are based on Ordnance Survey material with the permission of Ordnance Survey, on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationary Office. © Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. Licence number 100043722. Geological maps are based on British Geological Survey material reproduced by permission of the British Geological Survey. © NERC. All rights reserved. IPR/62-10C Printed by Impressions of Monmouth Ltd. 01494 839407 Contents Part 1 The Gloucestershire Cotswolds Part 2 Geodiversity in the Gloucestershire Cotswolds Part 3 Geodiversity Audit Part 4 Implementing the Action Plan & Interpretation of Geodiversity Part 5 Action Plan SECTION 1 INTRODUCTION TO THE GLOUCESTERSHIRE COTSWOLDS LOCAL GEODIVERSITY ACTION PLAN Page 1.01 Introduction 1 1.02 What Is Geodiversity? 2 1.03 What is a Geodiversity Action Plan and What is its Purpose? 3 1.04 Geoconservation 3 1.05 Geodiversity in Gloucestershire 4 1.06 A Vision for Geodiversity in the Gloucestershire Cotswolds 5 1.07 Geoconservation in Gloucestershire 6 a Gloucestershire Geoconservation Trust (GGT) b Gloucestershire Geological Records Centre (GGRC) c The Geology Trusts (GT) d English Nature e Geological Conservation Review Series 1.08 Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty 8 1.09 Cotswold Hills Geopark 8 1.10 Cotteswold Naturalists Field Club 9 SECTION 2 GEODIVERSITY IN THE GLOUCESTERSHIRE COTSWOLDS Page 2.01 Introduction 11 2.02 Geological History of the Cotswolds 11 2.03 The Quaternary Record in Gloucestershire 13 2.04 Economic Geology 15 2.05 Related Issues 17 a Biodiversity b History c Industrial Heritage d Communities and Settlement 2.06 Types of Geodiversity Sites 19 a The Geological Conservation Review Series (GCR) b Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) c Regionally Important Geological / Geomorphological Sites (RIGS) d Local Sites e Lost Sites f Landscapes g Active Quarries h Stone Buildings, Monuments and Other Constructions i Earth Science Interest on Sites Designated for Other Purposes j Opportunities to Enhance Geodiversity Features 2.07 Soils 22 a Definition of Soils b Diversity of Soils in the Gloucestershire Cotswolds c Influence on the Landscape and Social & Industrial History d Influence on Biodiversity e Future Requirements SECTION 3 GEODIVERSITY AUDIT Page 3.00 Aims and Objectives of the Geodiversity Audit 25 3.01 The Geological Framework 25 a Regional Structural Setting b Faults and Folds c Sedimentological Effects on Structure d Superficial Structure 3.02 The Palaeozoic Basement 28 3.03 The Stratigraphical Succession in the Cotswolds 29 a Lias Group (Lower Jurassic) 30 i Charmouth Mudstone Formation ii Dyrham Formation iii Marlstone Rock Formation iv Whitby Mudstone Formation v Bridport Sand Formation b Inferior Oolite Group (Middle Jurassic) 33 i Birdlip Limestone Formation ii Aston Limestone Formation iii Salperton Limestone Formation c Great Oolite Group (Middle Jurassic) 40 i Chipping Norton Limestone Formation ii Fuller’s Earth Formation iii Taynton Limestone Formation iv Hampen Formation v White Limestone Formation vi Forest Marble Formation vii Cornbrash Formation d Ancholme Group (Upper Jurassic) 45 i Kellaways Formation ii Oxford Clay Formation e Late Jurassic to Quaternary 46 3.04 Geomorphology and Landforms 47 3.05 Landforms 48 a Escarpment b Escarpment Valleys and Outliers c High Wold and Dip Slope 3.06 Cotswold Valley Systems 50 a Dry Valleys and Misfit Streams b Valley Meanders and Abandoned Meanders c Wind Gaps 3.07 Karstic Forms 51 3.08 Summary 51 SECTION 4 IMPLEMENTING THE ACTION PLAN INTERPRETING GEODIVERSITY Page 4.00 Implementation of the Action Plan 81 4.01 Potential Geodiversity Resources 81 4.02 Key Sites and Features 89 4.03 Recommended Sites 91 4.04 Major Footpaths, Cycle Routes and Bridleways 94 4.05 Guided Walks and Field Trips 95 FIGURES Section 1 Figures Page Fig. 1.1 The Outcrop of Jurassic Rocks in Britain 1 Fig. 1.2 Simplified Geological Map of Gloucestershire 4 Fig. 1.3 Huntsmans Quarry Interpretation Board 5 Fig. 1.4 Gloucestershire Uncovered Trail Guides 6 Fig. 1.5 Geosites Database 6 Fig. 1.6 Geology Trusts in Britain 7 Fig. 1.7 English Nature Cotswolds Natural Area Map 7 Fig. 1.8 Cotswolds AONB Map 8 Fig. 1.9 Cotswold Hills Geopark Map 8 Section 3 Figures. Page Fig. 3.1 Regional Structural Setting for the Cotswolds 25 Fig. 3.2 Faults in the Cotswolds 26 Fig. 3.3 Cotswolds AONB Landscape Character Map 27 Fig. 3.4 Geological Map of the Gloucestershire Cotswolds 28 Fig. 3.5 Stratigraphy of the Gloucestershire Cotswolds 29 Fig. 3.6 Stratigraphy of the Lias Group (Lower Jurassic) 30 Fig. 3.7 Outcrop of the Charmouth Mudstone Formation 30 Fig. 3.8 Outcrop of the Dyrham Formation 31 Fig. 3.9 Outcrop of the Marlstone Rock Formation 31 Fig. 3.10 Outcrop of the Whitby Mudstone Formation 32 Fig. 3.11 Outcrop of the Bridport Sand Formation 32 Fig. 3.12 Stratigraphy of the Inferior Oolite Group (Middle Jurassic) 33 Fig. 3.13 Outcrop of the Birdlip Limestone Formation 34 Fig. 3.14 Outcrop of the Aston Limestone Formation 36 Fig. 3.15 Outcrop of the Salperton Limestone Formation 38 Fig. 3.16 Stratigraphy of the Great Oolite Group (Middle Jurassic) 40 Fig. 3.17 Outcrop of the Chipping Norton Limestone Formation 40 Fig. 3.18 Outcrop of the Fuller’s Earth Formation 41 Fig. 3.19 Outcrop of the Taynton Limestone Formation 42 Fig. 3.20 Outcrop of the Hampen Formation 42 Fig. 3.21 Outcrop of the White Limestone Formation 43 Fig. 3.22 Outcrop of the Forest Marble Formation 44 Fig. 3.23 Outcrop of the Cornbrash Formation 44 Fig. 3.24 Stratigraphy of the Ancholme Group (Upper Jurassic) 45 Fig. 3.25 Outcrop of the Ancholme Group 45 Fig. 3.26 Topography of the Cotswolds 47 TABLES Section 3 Tables. Page Table 3.1 Dry Valleys and Misfit Streams 50 Table 3.2 Valley Meanders and Abandoned Meanders 51 Table 3.3 Wind Gaps 51 Table 3.4 Karstic Forms 51 Section 4 Tables. Page Table 4.1 Local Environmental & Conservation Organisations 82 Table 4.2 Other Local Groups 83 Table 4.3 Authorities 83 Table 4.4 Parish Councils 83 Table 4.5 Quarry Operators 84 Table 4.6 Academic Institutions 84 Table 4.7 Museums 85 Table 4.8 Corporate Bodies 85 Table 4.9 Regional Associations 86 Table 4.10 National Groups 87 Table 4.11 Media 88 Table 4.12 Key Sites 89 Table 4.13 Key Features 90 SECTION 1 THE GLOUCESTERSHIRE COTSWOLDS SECTION 1 THE GLOUCESTERSHIRE COTSWOLDS 1.01 Introduction The Cotswold Hills stretch for nearly 60 miles, forming part of an outcrop of Jurassic rocks that runs NE from the Dorset coast to the North Sea off Yorkshire. The steep western scarp of the Cotswolds exposes sections through Lower and Middle Jurassic rocks that dip gently eastwards towards Oxford and London. At Leckhampton Hill and Cleeve Common the thickest sections of Jurassic Inferior Oolite rocks anywhere in the country are found, and unique strata exposed, a feature recognised by their designation as Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Fig.1.1 The main outcrop of Jurassic rocks in Britain with Gloucestershire outlined in red Ampullospira cincta (Gastropod) Plectothyris fimbria (Brachiopod) Trigonia costata (Bivalve) The geology of the Cotswolds has a very strong influence on the landscape, vegetation and wildlife, as well as on the industry and heritage. The soils and vegetation noticeably change as the underlying geology changes from one type of rock to another, influencing growth of different species of plants and trees, which in turn provide habitats for a variety of different animal and bird species. The rocks that form the Cotswold Hills are made up of three different geological stages of the Jurassic period and date from between 210-140 million years ago. The Lower Jurassic is made up of the Lias Group; the Middle Jurassic Rocks Clypeus ploti include the Inferior Oolite Group, and the younger Great (Echinoid) Oolite Group; the transition between the Middle and Upper Jurassic rocks is marked by the Kellaways Beds and Oxford Clay Formations. Each Group is subdivided into Formations and Members, distinguished from each other according to differences in the constituent parts of the rock, the types of fossils found in the rocks and by erosional surfaces that mark breaks in deposition of the sediments.
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