The Geology of South Shropshire

Geologists’ Association Guide No 27

By M Allbutt, J Moseley, C Rayner and P Toghill

Shropshire is one of my favourite areas for both geology and fossil collecting. (It is also a beautiful county to visit on holiday, and I have done this several times.)

In particular, the Silurian of this beautiful area is fascinating and, if you can get permission to get into one of the commercial quarries (and you will need permission), then the results will be remarkable.

The Geology of South Shropshire has itineraries grounded in a well understood and documented stratigraphy that span all periods from Precambrian through to the Triassic. It covers lithologies from volcanic tuffs and lavas through fossiliferous marine and fluviatile sediments to aeolian sandstones.

The guide starts by covering the geological history of Shropshire, and then covers ten itineraries that consist of:

• The Longmynd area.
• Wart Hill and Hhopesay Common.
• The Precambrian and Ordovician geology of the Caer Caradoc area, and local developments with the Church Stretton Fault System.
• The Stiperstones and East Shelve Inlier.
• The Standard Ludlovian sections of Mortimer Forest.
• Mid Shelf Silurian Stratigraphy.
• Outer Shelf Silurian Stratigraphy of Plowden Wood and Edgton, and Kempton and Bury Ditches.
• The Wrekin Area.
• Clee Hills.
• Bridgnorth Sandstones and Quatford to Worfe Bridge.

This guide is illustrated with full colour photographs of locations in Shropshire. It also has an appendix covering the SSSIs within this county, including the Longmynd, the Stiperstones and the Mortimer Forest. The latter I have spent some wonderful hours and I would recommend this guide to anyone wishing to visit.

And, if you like the geology and scenery Shropshire, I would also recomments getting the GA to the Onny Valley, Shropshire.

The Geology of South Shropshire, Guide No 27, by M Allbutt, J Moseley, C Rayner and P Toghill, The Geologists’ Association, London (2002), 116 pages (paperback), ISBN: 090071784X