Cauldon Railway Cutting
Also within
Condition (Natural England)
Unfavourable Recovering (1)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SK077496 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 2.19 | 2013-12-10 |
Geology & landscape
Geological Period: Carboniferous
Description
Description The rock exposures within this site provide an important cross section through shales and limestones of the Namurian Series originally formed during the Carboniferous Period about 325 million years ago. The shales and limestones contain unusually well preserved fossil remains of marine animals that inhabited the Carboniferous sea. Of particular importance at this locality are the fossils known as goniatites which enable geologists to date the strata accurately and make detailed comparisons with rocks of similar age elsewhere in Britain. This is an important reference locality for detailed geological study of the Namurian Series.