Durham E-Theses The stratigraphy and structure of the, middleton tyas - sleightholme anticline and the development of chert between the underset and crow limestones in North Yorkshire Wells, A. J. How to cite: Wells, A. J. (1955) The stratigraphy and structure of the, middleton tyas - sleightholme anticline and the development of chert between the underset and crow limestones in North Yorkshire, Durham theses, Durham University. 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Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk 2 Frontispiece V •A m • v >. ft. 1 3« I - .- rlFar sweeping to toe east, be sees Down his deep woods toe course of Tees, And tracks bis wanderings by the steam Of summer vapours from the stream;" Sir Walter Scott THE STRATIGRAPHY AND STRUCTURE OF THE , MIDDLETQN TYAS - SLEIGHTHOLME ANTICLINE AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHERT BETWEEN THE UNDERSET AND CROW LIMESTONES IN NORTH YORKSHIRE By A.J. WELLS, M.A.(Cantab.), F.G.S. Thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the University of Durham, 1353 C01TMTS PAGE Preface and Acknowledgements i List of Text Figures iii List of Plates iv List of Maps vi Chapter 1, IITOR0DUCTI01T 1 General 1 Geological Succession 5 History of Research 6 Chapter 2, SIMONSTONE CYCLOTHEM 10 General 10 Stratigraphy 10 Details — (i) Simonstone Limestone, 11. 11 (ii) . Beds between the Simonstone and Gillingwood Limestones, 12. (iii) Gillingwood Limestone, 12. (iv) Beds between the Gillingwood and Middle Limestones, 14. Chapter 3, MIDDLE CYCLOTHEM 16 General 16 Stratigraphy 16 Details — (i) Middle Limestone, 18. (ii) Beds 18 between the Middle and 5 Yard Limestones, 20. Chapter 4, 5 YARD AM) 3 YARD CYCLOTHEMS 25 General 25' Stratigraphy 27 Details — (i) 5 Yard Limestone, 31. (ii) Beds 31 between the 5 Yard and 3 Yard Lime• stones — western part of area, 37. (iii) 3 Yard Limestone, 40. (iv) Beds between the 3 Yard and Underset Lime• stones — western part of area, 46. (v) Beds between the 5 Yard and Underset Limestones — eastern part, of area, 52. Chapter 5, UNDERSET CYCLOTHEM 58 General 58 Stratigraphy 59 Details —(i) Underset Limestone, 63. (ii) Beds 63 between the Underset and Main Limestones, 80. PAGE Chapter 6, MA.IN AND LITTLE CYOLOTHEMS "98 General 98 Stratigraphy 101 Details — (i) Main Limestone, 106. (ii) Beds 106 "between the Main and Little Lime• stones (north side of anticline and west of Stang), 129. '(iii) The Little Limestone and overlying beds (north side of anticline and west of Stang), 139. (iv) Beds above the Main Limestone (east of Stang), 146. Chapter 7, VARIATIONS WITHIN THE MAIN AND LITTLE CYCL0THEM3 TO THE WEST AND SOUTH OP THE MAPPED AREA 160 Chapter 8, STRUCTURE " ' 169 Folds 169 Faults 174 Joints 177 Chapter 9, PETROGRAPHY OF THE CHERTS 181 The Underset Chert 181 The Main Chert - 184 The Richmond Chert Series 187 The origin and transport of the silica 195 Chapter 10, GLACIAL AND POST-GLACIAL DEPOSITS 201 General 201 Deposits of the local ice-sheet 202 Deposits of the Stainmore ice — 207 (i) Moraines, 207. (ii) Erratics, 209. (iii) Fluvio-glacial sands and gravels, 212. (iv) Glacial lakes and overflow channels, 214. (v) Striations, 219. Pre-glacial topography 220 River diversions 221 Post-glacial deposits — (i) Peat, 224. (ii) Alluvium, 226. (iii) Landslips, 227. Chapter 11, MINERAL DEPOSITS 229 Coal 229 Lead and Barium 231 Copper 237 Petroleum 244 APPENDIX I, FAUNAL LISTS 247 APPENDIX II, RECORDS OF BORE-HOLES 256 LIST OF WORKS TO WHICH REFERENCE IS MADE 267 PREFACE AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The research work for this thesis was carried out between November 1952 and March 1955, under the supervision of Professor K.C. Dunham, Ph.D. ,S.D. ,F.R.S. ,M.Inst.M*..M. ,F.G.8. Of this time, approximately 12 months (the periods November-December 1952, April- December 1953 and April-June 1954) were spent in the field in North Yorkshire, based in Gilling and Reeth. In July 1954 the author led an excursion of the Yorkshire Geological Society over some of the ground in the vicinity of Richmond, and he is indebted to the members present for helpful discussions in the field. Problems have also been discussed in the field on various occasions with Dr. H.G. Reading (who has re-mapped the Stainmore syncline), Dr. R.W. Hey (who has studied the Crow Series between Richmond and Leyburn) and Mr. J.E. Scanlon (who is engaged in a re-survey of parts of upper Swaledale and upper Wensleydale). Thanks are due to the very large number of land-owners, farmers, quarry managers, insti• tutions and house-holders who readily gave permission for access to their grounds; in particular to the quarry managers of G.-Hodsman Ltd. (Kilmond quarry) and the East Layton Limestone Co. (Ekst Layton quarry) for supplying the analyses which are reproduced in Chapter 6, and to the staff and management of J.T. Hymas (Water Engineers) for co-operation during the examination of bore-bole cores. The author is much indebted to Mr. W. Anderson of H.M.Geological Survey, for access to the official maps and records held at the Newcastle office, and he is grateful to the Geology Department of Leeds University (and particularly to Mr. J. Selwyn Turner) for access to the thesis of Dr. A.J. Rowell. Thanks are due to ii Mr. G. O'Neill for preparing the text figures from original diagrams, for taking the photomicrographs and for photographing a number of rock specimens; a grant from the Durham Colleges Research Fund towards the cost of preparing some of the maps and diagrams for publication is acknowledged. The author is most grateful to Dr. G.A.L. Johnson for help and advice in the preparation of faunal lists, and to Dr. G.Kohnstam and Dr. R.A. Chalmers for physico-chemical advice. He is also indebted to members of the staff and other research students at the Department of Geology, Durham, and indeed to all those who have readily discussed problems associated with this work. Finally he wishes to record his sincere gratitude to Professor K.C. Dunham, who originally suggested the course of research, who" has followed its progress both in the field and in the laboratory, and who has been always ready to give advice, criticism, suggestions and encouragement. • t • 111 LIST OF TEXT FIGURES Facing PAGE Fig. 1 . Comparative sections of the Middle and Simonstone cyclotbems 16 M 2 . Comparative sections of the 3 Yard and 5 Yard cyclotbems 27 " 3 • Comparative sections of the Underset cyclothem 60 " 4 . Comparative sections of the Main and part of the Little eyelothems 101 " 5 . Details of the Main cyclothem south of Stainmore 160 11 6 • Details of the Richmond Chert Series 164 " 7 • Sections on the Main Limestone over the northern part of the Askrigg Block 165 " 8 . Generalised section of the Main and Little eyelothems from Birkdale to Leyburn 166 it 9 . Structure and topography across the Gilling valley 170 10. Statistical analysis of structural trends 178 11. Former courses of the River Greta 222 12. Copper localities 237 iv LIST OF PLATES Facing PAGE Frontispiece. The Tees running through Main Limestone, Rokeby Gorge Plate I. Geological Map of the Middleton Tyas- Sleightboline anticline In pocket II. Structure of the Middleton Tyas- Sleightbolme anticline 169 tt III. Suggested early Tertiary structure of the Middleton Tyas-Sleightholme anticline 173 it IV. Glacial features of the country between Gilling and Sleightbolme 215 5 • Marslce Moor, from the south 2 6A. Gigantoproductids and chert nodules in Long Acres quarry, Gilling 20 B. Thin section of the edge of a chert nodule, Long Acres quarry it ?A. Current-bedded Underset Limestone, Black Scar quarry, Middleton Tyas 70 B. Thin section of Underset Chert, Marske Beck 8A. Worm trails, Upper Coal Sill, Faggergill 135 B. Section in Black Scar, Sleightholme Beck II 9A. Well-bedded Main Chert, Chert Gill 139 B. Top of the Little Limestone, White Stone Gill, Sleightholme Moor 10A. Nodules of limestone in the Richmond Chert Series, Arndale Hole 157 B. Erosion surface in the Richmond Chert Series, Hurgill quarry, Richmond 11A. Beds above the Main Limestone, Redmire quarry, Wensleydale 167 B. Lenticular limestone in Leyburn road metal quarry 12A and B. The Main Limestone overlain unconforma- bly by the Richmond Chert Series, Woodlands quarry, Leyburn 168 13A. View looking west along the North Spanbam fault on Scargill High Moor 179 B. Jointing in East Lay ton quarry V Facing PAGE Plate 14A. Thin section of Main Chert, Huggill 188 B. Thin section of Richmond Chert Series, Round Hill (irregular bedding) " 15A. Specimens from top of Little Limestone, Leyburn and Sieightholme Moor 190 B. Thin section of cherty top of Little Limestone, Marske quarry " 16A. Thin section of crinoidal limestone, Richmond Chert Series, Leyburn 191 B. Sphere of limestone in Richmond Chert Series, Leyburn road metal quarry " 17A.