The Silurian Succession at Gorsley (Herefordshire)

Abstract

The oldest formation exposed in the Gorsley area is a hard limestone considered by previous authors to be equivalent to the Aymestry Limestone. All the available evidence, however, supports a correlation with the Wenlock Limestone. The succeeding strata comprise 4½ feet of Dayia Beds and 7 feet of Upper Ludlow Beds, so that the total thickness of Ludlovian strata is only 11½ feet. AH the Lower Ludlow Shales and the Aymestry Limestone are cut out by the unconformity below the Dayia Beds. This remarkably thin development is attributed to movement at various times during the Ludlovian epoch along an axis passing through the Gorsley region. The main movements probably took place in middle Ludlow times.