Jockie's Syke

Also within

Cumbria County

Condition (Natural England)

Geology & landscape

Geological Feature: Gorge / Ravine · Geological Period: Carboniferous · Rock Type: Mudstone

Landscape processes: Fluvial

Description

Description Jockie's Syke lies in a small wooded gorge draining into the Liddel Water on the England Scotland border some eight kilometres north west of Longtown. The site is of considerable importance for its floral and faunal fossil assemblage of Carboniferous age. The site yields the most diverse fossil assemblages in the Barren Red Measures Middle Carboniferous of the Canonbie Coalfield. They include non marine bivalves of the Anthraconauta tenuis Biozone, macrofloras of the Lobatopteris micromiltoni Biozone, insect wings, fish eggs and branchiopod valves. They clearly indicate that these strata are middle Westphalian D in age, which is significantly younger than the highest strata in the neighbouring Cumberland and Northumberland coalfields. It is therefore a site of outstanding importance for understanding the stratigraphy of this coalfield. This site also provides an excellent opportunity to study fossil plants representing the Lobatopteris micomiltoni Biozone middle Westphalian D age. Several bands of mudstone have yielded a typical assemblage, including Neuropteris ovata Hoffmann, Alethopteris lesquereuxii Wagner and Pecopteris unita Brogniart, but lacking the species which characterise the overlying L. vestita Biozone, such as L. vestita Lesquereux. Polymorphopteris polymorpha Brogniart and Dicksonites plueckenetii Sternberg. This biozone represents a transitional phase in the change from typically Westphalian to typically Stephanian floras, probably reflecting major climatic changes occurring at this time. It is a site of considerable interest for understanding these major flora changes.