Summary
The coastline from Borth to New Quay is described. Three points of general interest emerge. The coastal bevel (hog’s-back cliffs, fausses falaises) is shown to be the remains of cliffs cut by marine erosion, and degraded by sub-aerial weathering, at several times in the past. Raised beach platforms occur at different levels, each being backed by degraded cliffs, which merge laterally with the coastal bevel. Later than these, but earlier than the spread of the latest boulder clay in this area by solifluction seawards, are steep ‘fossil cliffs’ cut during apparently two periods of lowered sea-level. Where the beach platform is cut in solid rocks its outer edge is coincident with the course of one or other of these fossil cliffs.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Arber E. A. N. (1911) The Coast Scenery of North Devon.
Brown, E. H. (1952) The River Ystwyth, Cardiganshire: a geomorphological analysis’. Proc. Geol. Assoc., LXII 244.
Challinor, J. (1931) ‘Some coastal features of North Cardiganshire’, Geol. Mag., LXVIII 111.
Challinor, J. (1948) ‘A note on convex erosion-slopes, with special reference to North Cardiganshire’. Geography, XXXIII 27.
Challinor, J. (1949) ‘A principle in coastal geomorphology’, Geography, XXXIV 212.
Clapp, C. H. (1913) ‘Contraposed shorelines’, J. Geol., XXI 537.
Cotton, C. A. (1951) ‘Atlantic gulfs, estuaries, and Cliffs’, Geol. Mag., LXXXVIII 113.
George, T. N. (1932) ‘The Quaternary beaches of Gower’, Proc. Geol. Assoc., XLIII 291.
Godwin, H.*Suggate, R. P., and Willis, E. H.) ‘Radiocarbon dating of the eustatic rise in ocean-level’. Nature. CLXXXI 1518.
Guilcher, A. (1954) ‘Morphologie littorale et sous-marine’ (Paris: Presses Universitaires de France).
Jones, O. T. (1911) ‘The physical features and geology of Central Wales’, Aberystwyth and District (National Union of Teachers souvenir). 25.
Jones, O. T.(1924) ‘The Upper Towy drainage system’, Quart. J. Geol. Soc., LXXX 56.
Jones, O. T., in Johns, D., Jones, O. T., and Yapp, R. H. (1916) ‘The salt marshes of the Dovev estuary’. J. Ecology. IV 27.
Keeping, W. (1881) ‘The geology of Central Wales, with an appendix on some new species of Cladophora by Charles Lapworth’, Quart. J. Geol. Soc., XXXVII 141.
Ramsay, A. C. (1846) ‘On the denudation of South Wales and the adjacent counties of England’, Mem. Geol. Surv., I 297.
Reade, T. M. (1897) ‘Notes on the drift of the Mid-Wales coast’, Proc. Liverpool Geol. Soc., VII 410.
Steers, J. A. (1946) The Coastline of England and Wales (Cambridge University Press); 2nd ed., 1964.
Wilson, G. (1952) ‘The influence of rock structures on coastline and cliff development around Tintagel, North Cornwall’, Proc. Geol. Assoc., LXIII 20.
Wood, A. (1952) ‘Cliffs in Cardigan Bay and the extent of Post-glacial marine erosion’. Geol. Assoc. Circular. 542.
Zeuner, F. E. (1948) ‘The lower boundary of the Pleistocene’, Rept of Proc. 18th Int. Geol. Congr. (London), Pt 9, 126.
Editor information
Copyright information
© 1971 Palgrave Macmillan, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Wood, A. (1971). The Erosional History of the Cliffs around Aberystwyth. In: Steers, J.A. (eds) Applied Coastal Geomorphology. Geographical Readings. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-15424-1_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-15424-1_7
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-0-333-07282-0
Online ISBN: 978-1-349-15424-1
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)