The Principles of Stratigraphical GeologyMarr, J. E. (John Edward)
Science
The Principles of Stratigraphical Geology
Marr, J. E. (John Edward)
Geology, Stratigraphic
The Old Red Sandstone type consists to a large extent, as the name
implies, of sandstones which are coloured red by a deposit of peroxide
of iron around the sand grains. They are separable into a lower and
upper division with an unconformity often occurring between them. The
lower Old Red passes down in places into the Silurian rocks with
perfect conformity, and the upper Old Red similarly passes up into the
Carboniferous strata. The existence of pebble beds at different
horizons is a noteworthy feature. They are frequently found at or near
the base of the two divisions. The sandstones of the lower division
are often accompanied by flagstones, while the red sandstones of the
upper division usually have deposits of yellow and brown sandstone
intercalated between them. Inconstant beds of limestone, known as
cornstones, are found in both divisions, and Prof. Sollas has shown
that some of these, at any rate, are true mechanical deposits, formed
by the destruction of pre-existing strata of limestone and the
deposition of the resulting fragments from a state of suspension. In
Scotland a great thickness of volcanic material of various kinds is
associated with the two divisions. For the sake of simplicity this is
omitted from Fig. 19[85]. It is not known how far normal sediments are
associated with the Old Red Sandstone type of deposit. The existence
of some in South Wales is suggested by evidence supplied by the late
Mr J. W. Salter.
[Footnote 85: For an account of these and all other British volcanic
rocks the reader is referred to Sir A. Geikie's work on _The Ancient
Volcanoes of Great Britain_. Macmillan and Co., 1897.]
The Devon type, as will be seen in the figure, consists of rocks which
are to a great extent of normal character. We find in Devonshire
alternations of sandstones, shales and limestones, but even here, red
sandstones, which are comparable with those of the Old Red type occur
in diminished amount: the Foreland Grits and Pickwell Down Sandstones
are both coloured red, and are like the sandstones formed further
north. The recognition of this fact induces one to believe that the
contrast between the two types of rock which are found at a short
distance from one another on opposite sides of the Bristol Channel is
not so marked as one is sometimes led to suppose.
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