Skip to main content

The Caban Conglomerate and Ystrad Meurig Grits Formation — nested channels and lobe switching on a mud-dominated latest Ashgill to Llandovery slope-apron, Welsh Basin, UK

  • Chapter
Atlas of Deep Water Environments

Abstract

Throughout much of the Lower Palaeozoic, the Welsh Basin was a small intracratonic basin in which deep-water sediments accumulated (Woodcock 1984a; Soper and Woodcock 1990). It lay on the former microcontinent of Eastern Avalonia, on the south side of the contemporary Iapetus Ocean. To the south and east it was bordered by the Midland Platform, a stable cratonic area, that was periodically emergent or the site for shallow-water, shelf sedimentation. The eastern margin of the basin was defined by the Welsh Borderland Fault System, which comprises three long-lived basement structures, the Tywi, Pontesford and Church Stretton lineaments (Woodcock and Gibbons 1988) (Fig. 26.1a). These structures are manifested today as narrow, linear fold and fault belts.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 74.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Ball, T.K., Davies, J.R., Water, R.A. and Zalasiewicz, J.A. 1992. Geochemical discrimination of Silurian mudstones according to depositional process and provenance within the Southern Welsh Basin. Geological Magazine, 129, 567–572.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bouma, A.H. 1962. Sedimentology of some Flysch Deposits — A graphic approach to facies interpretation. Elsevier, Amsterdam.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brenchley, P.J. 1988. Environmental changes close to the Ordovician-Silurian boundary. In: Cocks, L.R.M. and Rickards, R.B. (eds) A Global Analysis of the Ordovician-Silurian Boundary. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History), Geology, 43, 377–385.

    Google Scholar 

  • British Geological Survey. 1993. 1:50 000 Sheet (179), Rhayader, Solid Geology. British Geological Survey, Nottingham.

    Google Scholar 

  • British Geological Survey. 1993. 1: 50 000 Sheet (178), Llanilar, Solid Geology. British Geological Survey, Nottingham.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cave, R. 1979. Sedimentary environments of the basinal Llandovery of mid-Wales. In: Harris, A.L., Holland, C.H. and Leake, B.E. (eds) The Caledonides of the British Isles, Reviewed. Special Publication, Geological Society of London, 8, 517–526.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cave, R. 1992. The Ystrad Meurig Grits, an early-Silurian turbidite sandstone lobe in mid-Wales. Journal of the Earth Science Teachers’ Association, 17, 87–95.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davies, J.R., Fletcher, C.J.N., Waters, R.A., Wilson, D., Woodhall, D.G. and Zalasiewicz, J.A., in press. The geology of the country around Rhayader and Llanilar. Memoir of the British Geological Survey, Sheets 178 and 179 (England and Wales).

    Google Scholar 

  • Dimberline, A.J., Bell, A. and Woodcock, N.H. 1990. A laminated hemipelagic facies from the Wenlock and Ludlow of the Welsh Basin. Journal of the Geological Society, London, 148, 693–701.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hiscott, R.N. and Middleton, G.V. 1979. Depositional mechanics of thick-bedded sandstones at the base of a submarine slope, Tourelle Formation (Lower Ordovician), Quebec, Canada. In: Doyle, L.J. and Pilkey, O.H. (eds) Geology of Continental Slopes. Society of Economic Palaeontologists and Mineralagists Special Publication, 27, 307–326.

    Google Scholar 

  • James, D.M.D. and James, J. 1969. The influence of deep fractures on some areas of Ashgillian-Llandoverian sedimentation in Wales. Geological Magazine, 106, 562–582.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jenkyns, H.C. 1980. Cretaceous anoxic events: from continents to oceans. Journal of the Geological Society, London, 137, 171–188.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kelling, G. and Woollands, M.A. 1969. The stratigraphy and sedimentation of the Llandoverian rocks of the Rhayader district. In: Wood, A. (ed.) The Pre-Cambrian and Lower Palaeozoic Rocks of Wales. University of Wales Press, Cardiff, pp. 255–282.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leggett, J.K. 1980. British Lower Palaeozoic black shales and their palaeo-oceanographic significance. Journal of the Geological Society, London, 137, 139–156.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leggett, J.K., McKerrow, W.S., Cocks, L.R.M. and Rickards, R.B. 1981. Periodicity in the early Palaeozoic marine realm. Journal of the Geological Society, London, 138, 167–176.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lowe, D.R. 1982. Sediment gravity flows: II. Depositional models with special reference to the deposits of high-density turbidity currents. Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, 52, 279–297.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morton, A.C., Davies, J.R. and Waters, R.A. 1992. Heavy minerals as a guide to turbidite provenance in the Lower Palaeozoic Southern Welsh Basin: a pilot study. Geological Magazine, 129, 573–580.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mutti, E. 1985. Turbidite systems and their relations to depositional sequences. In: Zuffa, E.G. (ed.) Provenance of Arenites. NATO Advanced Science Institute Series, D. Riedel, Dordrecht, Holland, pp. 65–93.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Mutti, E. and Normark, W.R. 1987. Comparing modern and ancient turbidite systems. In: Leggett, J.K. and Zuffa, G.G. (eds) Marine Clastic Sedimentology: Concepts and Case Studies. Graham & Trotman, London, pp. 1–38.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Normark, W.R., Piper, D.J.W. and Hess, G.R. 1979. Distributary channels, sand lobes and mesotopography of Navy Submarine Fan, California Borderland, with applications to ancient fan sediments. Sedimentology, 26, 249–774.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pickering, K.T., Stow, D., Watson, M. and Hiscott, R. 1986. Deep-water facies, processes and models: A review and classification scheme for modern and ancient sediments. Earth Science Reviews, 23, 75–174.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pickering, K.T., Hiscott, R.N. and Hein, F.J. 1989. Deep Marine Environments. Unwin Hyman, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Piper, D.J.W. and Normark, W.R. 1983. Turbidite depositional patterns and flow characteristics, Navy Submarine Fan, California Borderland. Sedimentology, 30, 681–694.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, R.D.A., 1987. Early diagenetic phosphate cements in a turbidite basin. In: Marshall, J.D. (ed.) Diagenesis of Sedimentary Sequences. Geological Society, London, Special Publication, 36, 141–156.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, R.D.A., Waters, R.A. and Davies, J.R. 1991. Late Ordovician and early Silurian turbidite systems in the Welsh Basin. 13th International Sedimentological Congress, Nottingham, Field Guide No. 20. British Sedimentological Research Group, Cambridge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Soper, N.J. and Woodcock, N.H. 1990. Silurian collision and sediment dispersal patterns in southern Britain. Geological Magazine, 17, 527–542.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stow, D.A.V. and Piper, D.J.W. 1984. Deep-water finegrained sediments: facies models. In: Stow, D.A.V. and Piper, D.J.W. (eds) Fine-grained Sediments: Deep-water processes and facies. Geological Society, London, Special Publication, 15, 611–646.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stow, D.A.V., Howell, D.G. and Nelson, C.H. 1985. Sedimentary, tectonic and sea level controls. In: Bouma, A.H., Normark, W.R. and Barnes, N.E. (eds) Submarine Fans and Related Turbidite Systems. Springer, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Waters, R.A., Davies, J.R., Fletcher, C.J.N. and Wilson, D. 1992. Discussion of ‘A late Ordovician/early Silurian non-depositional slope and perched basin along the Tywi Anticline, Mid Wales’ by D.M.D. James. Geological Journal, 27, 285–294.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Waters, R.A., Davies, J.R., Fletcher, C.J.N., Wilson, D., Zalasiewicz, J.A. and Cave, R. 1993. Llandovery basinal and slope sequences of the Rhayader district. In: Woodcock, N.H. and Bassett, M.G. (eds) Geological Excursions in Powys, Wales. University of Wales Press, Cardiff, pp. 155–182.

    Google Scholar 

  • Woodcock, N.H. 1984a. Early Palaeozoic sedimentation and tectonics in Wales. Proceedings of the Geologists Association, 95, 323–335.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Woodcock, N.H. 1984b. The Pontesford Lineament, Welsh Borderland. Journal of the Geological Society, London, 141, 1001–1014.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Woodcock, N.H. and Gibbons, W. 1988. Is the Welsh Borderland Fault System a terrane boundary? Journal of the Geological Society, London, 145, 915–923.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

K. T. Pickering R. N. Hiscott N. H. Kenyon F. Ricci Lucchi R. D. A. Smith

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1995 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Davies, J.R., Waters, R.A. (1995). The Caban Conglomerate and Ystrad Meurig Grits Formation — nested channels and lobe switching on a mud-dominated latest Ashgill to Llandovery slope-apron, Welsh Basin, UK. In: Pickering, K.T., Hiscott, R.N., Kenyon, N.H., Ricci Lucchi, F., Smith, R.D.A. (eds) Atlas of Deep Water Environments. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-1234-5_27

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-1234-5_27

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-4539-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-011-1234-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics