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The Lower Oolites exposed in the Ardley and Fritwell Railway-cuttings, between Bicester and Banbury, Oxford

1933; Elsevier BV; Volume: 44; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/s0016-7878(33)80009-5

2773-0743

W. J. Arkell, L. Richardson, Jack Pringle,

Geology and Paleoclimatology Research

The cuttings are shown to provide a key section for the understanding of the Great Oolite Series in the Southern Midlands, just where important changes take place between the limestone province of the south-west and the ‘estuarine’ province of the north-east. A detailed description of the succession is given and this is then correlated with other sections in the neighbourhood and the adjoining counties. Thick sandy strata which have been called Northampton Sands in previous published accounts are shown to be much younger in date—equivalent to the Chipping Norton Limestone. The whole of the Inferior Oolite Series (of which the Northampton Sands represent the basal zones) is found to be missing, as is also the upper or Yeovilian division of the Upper Lias. Limestones which succeed the sandy beds and which have previously been considered to be Chipping Norton Limestone are correlated mainly with the Taynton Stone of West Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire. Thick marly strata next in succession, previously correlated with the “Neaeran” Beds of North Oxfordshire, are shown to be a continuation of the Hampen Marly Beds of West Oxfordshire and the Cotswolds. A lateral passage is thus traced from the Hampen Marly Beds into the Upper Estuarine Series of Northamptonshire and the Eastern Counties. A detailed description of the White Limestone and “Forest Marble” is also given and the component parts are correlated with their representatives elsewhere.