Penlee Point

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 50.0880, -5.5327

Condition (Natural England)

Unfavourable Declining (2) Favourable (2)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
SW471269 Unfavourable Declining 0.88 2023-01-17
SW472268 Unfavourable Declining 0.88 2023-01-17
SW473268 Favourable 1.05 2021-11-10
SW474268 Favourable 0.84 2021-11-10

Geology & landscape

Landscape processes: Volcanic / Igneous

Description

Penlee Point SSSI Description At Penlee Point and in the adjacent disused quarries can be seen the upper and lower contacts of a typical, small sill-like intrusive greenstone body, sandwiched between apparently concordant metasediment horizons. This body exhibits the effects of contact metamorphism, tourmalinisation and later hydrothermal alteration superimposed on a still recognisable, but relict igneous texture and mineralogy. It is characteristic of many of the more alkaline intrusive greenstones of west Cornwall.