Geology of the Littledale area : 1:10 000 sheet SD56SE : part of 1:50 000 Sheet 59 (Lancaster)

Abstract

This report describes the geology of the 1:10 000 Sheet SD 56 SE (Littledale) which lies on the 1:50 000 Sheet 59 {Lancaster}. The map is available as an uncoloured dyeline print and includes the generalised geological sequence and details of selected sections. The first geological survey of the area on the scale of 1:10 560 was carried out by R H Tiddeman and J R Dakyns and published as part of the Lancashire County Series Sheet 31 in 1880. A small part in the south-west of the area, around Littledale, was studied in 1985 in connection with the Wyresdale Tunnel investigation (Wilson et aL., 1989). The present survey, at the 1:10 000 scale, was carried out by A Brandon in 1989 and 1990, under the supervision of J I Chisholm, Regional Geologist. Palaeontological collecting was carried out by N J Riley and A Brandon and registered under the suffix letters RH, RHR, AB and ABR. Biostratigraphical reports are in preparation. The following is a list of BGS geological maps covering the area: One inch to one mile scale: Primary Series Sheet 91NE (New Series Sheet 59) Solid, published 1884; Drift, published 1884 1:10 560 scale New Meridian County Sheets: Lancashire 31; geology published 1880 A geological memoir summarizing the work of the primary survey was not published though Tiddeman presented a brief account of the glaciation of the area in 1872. The area was mapped by Moseley and the geology summarised in his general account of the Namurian of the Lancaster Fells in 1954. He also described some aspects of the Quaternary geology of the area {Moseley and Walker, 1952}. All exposed sections in the area, most of which are only indicated on the map by a dip arrow, have been logged. All details are in field notebooks 5 and 6. As a general rule, selected information on the more important sections is given either on the map or in the left hand side margin. Sections listed in the map side margin are lettered A to J. Further information is given in this account and in the Appendix. Sections in the Appendix are numbered 1 to 10 and cross referenced to sections A to J of the map where appropriate