Rake Dike
Also within
Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SE095049 | — | Favourable | 9.99 | 2008-03-21 |
| SE108056 | — | Favourable | 9.99 | 2008-03-21 |
Geology & landscape
Geological Period: Carboniferous · Rock Type: Sandstone, Shale
Description
Area, 4.7 ha. 11.6 ac. Description The Rake Dike valley contains exposures of rocks of the Namurian Series of the Carboniferous Period laid down some 320 millions years ago. The rocks consist of layers of sandstone and shale, some of the shale layers containing important fossil remains. Of particular significance are those of marine animals known as goniatites which can be used to date accurately the rocks. Rake Dike is important as two particularly useful goniatites were collected and described for the first time fromhere. Rake Dike is widely recognised as an important geological locality. It has been proposed as the standard for part of the Marsdenian Stage – one of the major divisions of the Carboniferous Period – and is therefore an internationally important reference section.