Devon County Geological Site

Site reference no. SY19SE1 Name: Sweetcombe (Swetcombe) Wood

District: East Devon Parish: Salcombe Regis

National grid ref: 16429304 OS sheets: 1:50k 192 1:25k 1315 1:10k SY19SE GS 1:50k 326/340 GridRef x y Lat Long SY16429304 316420 93040 50.730942 -3.1856249

Locality description (address): Of the Sidbury-Farway road about 2.5 km NE of Sidbury and 300 m NE of Higher Swetcombe Farm.

Nature of site: Deep goyle draining south west into the Snod Brook,

Geological / geomorphological features: The SE side of the goyle shows the following section:

Flinty Head c. 1.5m. Loess – pale buff, cohesive, quartz silt c. 5m. Clay with Flints – residual flint in a clayey matrix c. 5m. Upper Greensand – silicified sand and chert

Microscopic examination of the silt shows it to be predominantly clean, well-sorted and angular. It also contains a few well rounded 1mm sand grains with frosted surfaces. This lithology is interpreted as loess, a periglacial wind- blown deposit. This view is supported by the frosting of the sand grains. The clay with flints consists of residual flint set in a pale ochre clayey matrix. Some of the disturbed flint at the base of the deposit in the goyle is large and tabular and a few fragments retain a coating of chalk suggesting the presence of a concealed remnant of chalk beneath the Clay with Flints. Blocks of brown silty limonite in the bed of the goyle appear to be derived from the clay with flints. The Upper Greensand is silicified and contains some tabular chert. A few bivalves, possibly Exogyra sp. occur.

Reasons for registration as a Regionally Important Geological / Geomorphological Site: The occurrence of such a thick and well exposed occurrence of loess is unique to the district while the section as a whole provide is relatively well exposed and of value.

Site sensitivity: None

Safety: Generally safe with care. The sides of the goyle are steep and it is partly filled with felled and fallen trees.

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

Access and Parking: A public bridleway runs from the road past the head of the goyle, but the actual site is in private land. There is limited parking (2 cars| or a minibus ) where the bridleway track leaves the road.. There is further parking on the verges just north of Barnes Surges (163937)

Date of assessment (V = visited) : V 13th December 1996 R T Taylor

Site owner :

Other comments: Further deposition of felled trees and scrub in the goyle could make access difficult

References: HARROD,T. R., CATT, J. A. and WEIR, A.H. 1973. Loess in Devon. Proceedings of the Ussher Society. Vol. 2, pp.554-564.