The Real Jurassic Park: Geological Explorations in Southwest England
University of Washington, Tacoma
TESC 417: Summer 2006

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Location: Sidmouth

Introduction:
August 3, 2006--Sidmouth, located in East Devon, was our last stop of the day--we had a nice drive from Seaton and good weather. We were ready to stretch our legs, spend some time on the beach and enjoy the beautiful Cannaught Gardens. The coast around Sidmouth offers beautiful coastal scenery and a rich view of its geology.

Detail Map:



Highlights:
East Devon is the oldest part of the Jurassic Coast--it goes back in time to the Triassic age, 200-250 million years ago. The rocks that make up the cliffs in East Devon, which include the area all the way from Sidmouth to Exmouth, record the Triassic period. It is thought by geologists that at one time these rocks were locked in the interior of a large continent called Pangea. The continent was made up of North America, Europe, South America, Africa, Antarctica, India and Australia and was formed by two huge landmasses colliding into each other, becoming one super continent. Approximately 300 million years ago, as a result of this collision, a chain of mountains was formed that ran through what is presently the southwest part of England. Because it was located near the equator, this landlocked area was hot and arid. When the seasonal rains occurred, they rapidly eroded the mountains and carried material towards East Devon and formed the rocks that are there today. Approximately 250 million years ago, the erosion of the mountains was taking place and East Devon was getting huge amounts of sediment from the river and later by lake deposition. Then, during the dry spells, the wind would pick up the sand and dust which created the sand dunes. (Jurassic Coast)

Sidmouth

Synopsis of Area:
The red rocks that are evident wherever one looks are capped by a yellow band of Upper Greensand and white Chalk. The Cretaceous rocks lie unconformably on the Triassic layer. It was during the Cretaceous period that the rock succession, which included the upper part of the Triassic, the Jurassic and the early Cretaceous, was eroded away before younger Cretaceous rocks were deposited on top. This unconformity spanned East Devon and Dorset's coastline and is so big it is known as the Great Unconformity. (Jurassic Coast)

Class at Sidmouth cliff

Summary:
The day had been a busy one but was well worth it. We took a trip back in history with our guide John Scott early in the morning. We took a side trip to Beer mid-day and walked through a quaint, historical fishing village. Our afternoon was spent at Sidmouth viewing the incredible red cliffs and gaining an understanding of how they were formed. We topped the day off with a climb up the steep steps of the mock-castle and ended up at Connaught Gardens. The gardens were beautiful and would meet anyone's expectations of lovely formal English gardens. After taking advantage of the wonderful photo opportunity, we then piled into the van and headed for our temporary home at Woodberry Down for dinner, class and free time.

Connaught Gardens

Links to Related Projects:
The Cretaceous Chalk in Southern England. By Brieanna Graham
Geology and Tourism on the South England Coast. By Jenny Ripatti
Holy Architecture!: Cathedrals, Abbeys, and Parish Churches of Southwest England. By Lisa Green
World Heritage: Conservation Efforts in the United Kingdom and Ireland. By Jeanine Riss
Geology, Landscapes, and Land Use of Dorset and East Devon. By Angus Leger


Other Related Links:
Geology of the Wessex Coast, Southern England by Ian West


References and Acknowledgements:
-- Brunsden, Denys. The Official Guide to the Jurassic Coast, Dorset and East Devon Cost World Heritage Site. Coastal Publishing. Wareham, England, 2003.
-- Dorset: Coast and Countryside, Historic Towns and Villages. J. Salmon, Sevenoaks, Kent, 2006.
-- Detail Map: 2006 Multimap.com. September 2, 2006. http://www.multimap.com
-- The Jurassic Coast.September 12, 2006. http://www.jurassiccoast.com/index.jsp?articleid=157779
-- Dorset County Council (2006). Jurassic Coast. September 22, 2006. http://www.jurassiccoast.com/index.jsp
-- West, Ian (2005) Geology of the Wessex Coast, Southern England. http://www.soton.ac.uk/~imw/

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