Cudden Point to Prussia Cove

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 50.0995, -5.4248

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Also within

Cornwall County Cornwall Scenic Area King Charles Way - Penzance to St Mawes National TrailSouth West Coast Path National Trail

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (4)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
SW549280 — Favourable 3.78 2013-01-11
SW550278 — Favourable 3.78 2013-01-11
SW554277 — Favourable 3.78 2013-01-11
SW554278 — Favourable 11.7 2013-01-11

Geology & landscape

Geological Feature: Igneous Intrusion · Rock Type: Gabbro, Granite

Landscape processes: Volcanic / Igneous

Description

Cudden Point to Prussia Cove SSSI Description This is the best example in Cornwall of a mildly metamorphosed, differentiated tholeiitic intrusive greenstone that retains good relict igneous textures and mineralogy. It is characteristic of relatively large intrusive dolerite-gabbro sills in Cornwall and unique in that it is of tholeiitic composition and not alkaline. It is also internally differentiated and contains rare relicts of primary brown amphibole. The sheared and deformed marginal facies has a chemistry indicative of contact metamorphism by hidden, shallow granite extension from the nearby Godolphin diapir.