Chipley Quarries
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Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SX807721 | — | Favourable | 0.52 | 2009-02-05 |
| SX808721 | — | Favourable | 0.47 | 2009-02-05 |
Geology & landscape
Geological Period: Devonian · Rock Type: Slate
Landscape processes: Volcanic / Igneous
Description
Chipley Quarries SSSI Description The classic area of Upper Devonian (Fammenian) submarine basaltic volcanism with a local sequence of pillow lavas developed on the north-east margin of the Trevone trough. The exposures show good pillow features and are readily dated by the fauna of the adjacent slates. Although of similar age to the thicker pillow sequence at Pentire Point, they have a distinct chemistry and are petrogenetically unrelated. The lavas are overlain by deepwater slates which have yielded ostracods indicating a late Fammenian age. The slates seen at Chipley, the Gurrington Slate, are interpreted as basinal deposits indicative of a late Devonian transgression. The slates and lavas are important in any interpretation of late Devonian regional palaeogeography.