Northern England in
the Tertiary period (65 to 2.6 Ma)
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This period began with another major lowering of
sea-level together with uplift, and nearly all of Britain, apart from the
south-east emerged as land. Because of this, it is most likely that no
Tertiary sediments were deposited in Northern England, although thick
sequences are known offshore beneath the North sea. |
Uplift and the development of the constructive plate
margin on the western side of the British Isles were responsible for the
general tilting of Britain towards the south-east as well as the renewed
activation of major faults, e.g. those surrounding the Alston Block. |
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It was during this period of separation resulting in
crustal tension that a number of linear igneous rocks known as dykes, e.g.
the Cleveland, Tynemouth and Acklington Dykes composed of a type of basalt, were intruded.
These are the only tertiary rocks to be seen in Northern England. The
Cleveland Dyke and the sites where it was quarried for roadstone
can be seen in several places, e.g. at Great Ayton, and at Castleton. In
fact, from the the vantage point of Roseberry
Topping the dyke, being a more resistant rock, can be seen to form a distinct
ridge running in a WNW-ESE direction. |