Mortimore, R.N., Wood, C.J. & Gallois, R.W. 2001. British Upper Cretaceous Stratigraphy. Geological Conservation Review Series, No. 23, JNCC, Peterborough. The original source material for these web pages has been made available by the JNCC under the Open Government Licence 3.0. Full details in the JNCC Open Data Policy

Contents

The original source material for these web pages has been made available by the JNCC under the Open Government Licence 3.0. Full details in the JNCC Open Data Policy

Title page and preliminaries

Acknowledgements

Access to the countryside

Preface

GCR site selection guidelines and site networks

1 The Upper Cretaceous rocks of the British Isles

Introduction

Definition of the Upper Cretaceous Series

Global geological setting

Upper Cretaceous palaeogeography, climate and sea-level curves

Upper Cretaceous tectonic setting in Europe

The rocks of the Upper Cretaceous Series

Chalk

Marly chalk and marl seams

Diagenetic effects: nodular chalks, chalkstones, hardgrounds, soft and hard chalks

Flints and trace fossil stratigraphy

Greensands, chert beds and limestones

Upper Cretaceous stratigraphical framework

Upper Cretaceous lithostratigraphy in the British Isles

Cyclostratigraphy, episodic events and chemostratigraphy

Upper Cretaceous biostratigraphy in the British Isles

Correlation

2 Fossils of the Chalk and the ecology of the Upper Cretaceous Chalk seas

Fossils of the Chalk

Key biostratigraphical indices

Cephalopods: ammonites

Cephalopods: belemnites

Bivalves: inoceramids Other bivalves

Brachiopods

Sea urchins: the echinoids Sea lilies and feather stars: the crinoids

Trace fossils

Microfossils

The ecology of the Chalk seas

Integrated ecology; body fossils, trace fossils and isotopes

Summary

3 Southern Province, England

Introduction

Tectonic structure and sedimentation history

Stratigraphy

Lithostratigraphy of the Chalk in the Southern Province

Grey Chalk Subgroup

White Chalk Subgroup

South-west England (south-east Devon, Somerset and west Dorset)

Biostratigraphy and chronostratigraphy

Hooken Cliff, south-east Devon

Wilmington Quarry, south-east Devon

Reeds Farm Pit, Wilmington, south-east Devon

Furley Chalk Pit, Membury, south-east Devon

Snowdon Hill Quarry, Chard, Somerset

Shillingstone Quarry, Dorset

Dead Maid Quarry, Mere, Wiltshire

Charnage Down Chalk Pit, Mere, Wiltshire

West Harnham Chalk Pit, Salisbury, Wiltshire

White Nothe, Dorset

Handfast Point to Ballard Point, Dorset

Compton Bay, Isle of Wight

Whitecliff, Isle of Wight

Downend Chalk Pit, Portsdown, Hampshire

Newhaven to Brighton, Sussex

Cuckmere to Seaford, Sussex

Southerham Grey Pit, Lewes, Sussex

Southerham Pit, Lewes, Sussex

Folkestone to Kingsdown: Folkestone–Dover and Dover–Kingsdown, Kent

Thanet Coast, Kent

4 Transitional Province, England

Introduction

Tectonic structure and sedimentation history

Stratigraphy

Grey Chalk Subgroup

White Chalk Subgroup

Fognam Quarry, Berkshire Downs, Berkshire

Boxford Chalk Pit, Berkshire

Winterbourne Chalk Pit, Berkshire

South Lodge Pit, Berkshire

Aston Rowant Cutting, Oxfordshire Chiltern Hills

Chinnor Chalk Pit, Oxfordshire Chiltern Hills

Kensworth Chalk Pit, Bedfordshire Chiltern Hills

Barrington Chalk Pit, Cambridgeshire

Caistor St Edmund Chalk Pit, Norwich, Norfolk

Catton Grove Chalk Pit, Norwich, Norfolk

Overstrand to Trimingham Cliffs, Norfolk

5 Northern Province, England

Introduction

Tectonic structure and sedimentological setting

Stratigraphy

Lithostratigraphy

Ferriby Chalk Formation

Welton Chalk Formation

Burnham Chalk Formation

Flamborough Chalk Formation

Rowe Formation

Biostratigraphy

Cenomanian Stage

Turonian Stage

Coniacian Stage

Santonian Stage

Campanian Stage

Hunstanton Cliffs, the Wash, Norfolk

Melton Bottom Chalk Pit, East Yorkshire

Enthorpe Railway Cutting, Yorkshire Wolds

Flamborough Head, North and East Yorkshire

6 Inner Hebrides Group, north-west Scotland

Introduction

Tectonic setting and sedimentary history

Stratigraphy

A litho- and biostratigraphy for the Inner Hebrides Group

Gribun, Isle of Mull

Beinn Iadain and Beinn na h-Uamha, Morven

General review of the Inner Hebrides Group

Appendix: Definition of the Upper Cretaceous stages and substages

References

Glossary

Fossil index

Figures and tables

Tables

General index