Chermes Dingle
Also within
Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SJ614061 | — | Favourable | 5.88 | 2014-06-11 |
Geology & landscape
Geological Period: Cambrian
Description
Area, 6.4 ha. 15.8 ac. Description Chermes Dingle provides the most complete and best exposed section through the lower part of the Shineton Shales in their type area, including the only exposure of the Transition Beds in the area. The Shineton Shales here represent the Tremadoc Series, the topmost subdivision of the Cambrian System. At several levels the rocks are richly fossiliferous and this is the locality from which many species of trilobites, graptolites and other forms were first described. The evolution through time of the fossil fauna of the Shineton Shales can clearly be seen here and this is of great importance for accurate dating of these Upper Cambrian rocks and for comparison with rock sequences of similar age elsewhere.