Geo-research
Appreciating, conserving and promoting Somerset’s diverse geology
Geo-research
Bibliography
The late Hugh Prudden, former secretary of the Somerset Geology Group (SGG), compiled a Bibliography of Somerset Geology up to and including 1997. SGG member, Andy Gordon, took on updating it for us in 2023 and the latest version can be found here.
By March 2024 Andy had added 268 new references, bringing the total to 1,589, with more being added all the time. Plus, he has been able to clarify the detail of Hugh’s references in several cases. He has now added references: mentioned in the later years of Hugh’s SGG newsletters (to c 2010); others that we came across during the LGS review (2016-2022); relevant to Somerset from the Ussher Society journal (1958 to 2022); and from Bath Geological Society journal (1982 to 2023).
Recent research
Below are references and links to some recent research papers relevant to Somerset that Andy and others have come across and that have been added to the bibliography:
2025
R. Chandler and S. Cresta, New records of ammonites from the Lower Bajocian (Middle Jurassic) of England and Italy. Proceedings of the Geologists’ Association.
2024
Geologists’ Association Guide No. 78. Geology of the Bristol Region. Compiled and edited by S. Lewis. Guide Series Editor: S. B. Marriott The Geologists’ Association (2024). ISBN 978-1-9996757-8-3. (322 pp., spiral binding, card cover).
Newell, A Woods, M and Graham, R. 2024. UK Stratigraphical Framework Series: Lias Group. British Geological Survey National Programme Open Report OR/24/16.
There is an accompanying video featuring Mike Simms Mike about the Carnian Pluvial Episode. The film was made in late 2023 and the film crew visited several sites in the Mendips.
2023
2022
Dawson, G.J Burley, S.D. Ruffell, A. Benton, M.J. and Duffin, C.J. 2022. A new exposure of the North Curry Sandstone Member (Dunscombe Mudstone Formation, Mercia Mudstone Group: Carnian, Triassic), near Taunton, Somerset (UK): The location of Charles Moore’s vertebrate specimens resolved. Proceedings of the Geologists’ Association, Volume 133, Issue 6, 2022, Pages 526-537.
On-line access and libraries
Many geo-research papers can now be found on-line, although sometimes requiring membership of the relevant society, especially for newly published papers. Back issues of Geoscience in South-West England (the Proceedings of the Ussher Society) can be found on its web site at https://ussher.org.uk/journal. Geological papers within the Proceedings of the Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society can be found on its web site at https://sanhs.org/digital-proceedings/.
The most comprehensive collection of books and journals relating to the geology of Somerset is probably that held at the Somerset Heritage Centre. Many of its books and journals are open access, but there is limited seating space, so check its web site for information on how to arrange a visit. You can look at its on-line catalogues first. You may find some titles held in libraries more locally to you and/or you may need to order some older titles from its store.
British Geological Survey Publications
The British Geological Survey (BGS) has a Geology of Britain viewer on its website that can also be downloaded as an app to a mobile device. It is a compilation of the geological mapping by the BGS that has been carried out over many years, and can help you to identify the different geological formations beneath the part of Somerset you are visiting, including information on their ages and how they were formed.
The BGS Lexicon can also be useful – it can help you to identify the contemporary equivalent name for formations that were formerly differently named.
Regional Guides – Somerset is covered by two BGS Regional guides:
Edmonds, E.A.; McKeown, M.C.; Williams, M.; Dewey, H. 1985 South-west England. British Regional Geology Guide. Fourth edition, reprinted in 1985 with additional references. This covers the west and central parts of Somerset. Available on line via the BGS Text Viewer
Green, D.W. 1992. Bristol and Gloucester region. British Regional Geology series. Third edition. This covers Somerset east of a north-south line through Bridgwater plus the coast to Watchet further west. It is available both as a printed version and on line.
Maps – As well as the BGS Viewer mentioned above, the BGS has over the years published a range of maps that can be explored via its maps portal at https://www.bgs.ac.uk/information-hub/bgs-maps-portal/ . The sheet numbers with their name covering Somerset at the 1: 50,000 scale (England and Wales series) are shown below and a search will also reveal any earlier versions (often at the former 1:63,360 scale). A scanned copy of each map is available, plus information on the surveyors contributing and the dates of their surveys.
Memoirs – Most, but not all of these 1:50,000 map sheets have an accompanying written explanation, published either as a full BGS ‘Memoir’ or sometimes as a shorter explanation. These can mostly now be found under the BGS Text Viewer. Look for the England and Wales series, which can then be searched by, for example, the map sheet number. The following are the latest published Memoirs for the BGS map sheets covering Somerset, listed in map-sheet order (but note that there may be older editions and other types of reports for some areas).
Sheet 277 Ilfracombe – Edmonds, E. A., Whittaker, A., and Williams, B. J. 1985. Geology of the country around Ilfracombe and Barnstaple. BGS Memoir for 1:50,000 geological sheets 277 and 293
Sheet 278 Minehead – Edwards R A, 1999. The Minehead district — a concise account of the geology. BGS Memoir for 1:50,000 Geological Sheet 278 and part of sheet 294
Sheet 279 Weston-super-Mare – Whittaker, A. and Green, G. W. 1983. Geology of the country around Weston-super-Mare. BGS Memoir for 1:50,000 geological sheet 279, New Series, with parts of sheets 263 and 295
Sheet 280 Wells – Green, G.W. and Welch, F.B.A. 1965 Geology of the country around Wells and Cheddar. BGS Memoir, explanation of one-inch geological sheet 280
Sheet 281 Frome – none
Sheet 293 Barnstaple – covered by the same Memoir as for Sheet 277 Ilfracombe, see above.
Sheet 294 Dulverton – none except a small part covered in the Memoir for Sheet 278 Minehead, see above.
Sheet 295 Taunton – Edmonds, E. A. and Williams, B. J. 1985. Geology of the country around Taunton and the Quantock Hills. BGS Memoir for 1:50,000 geological sheet 295
Sheet 296 Glastonbury – none.
Sheet 297 Wincanton –Bristow, C R, Barton, C M, Westhead, R K, Freshney, E C, Cox, B M, and Woods, M A. 1999.The Wincanton district – a concise account of the geology. BGS Memoir for 1:50,000 Geological Sheet 297 (England and Wales)
Sheet 310 Tiverton – none.
Sheet 311 Wellington – Scrivener, R C, Booth, S J, Burt, C E, Ellison, R A, Hamblin, R J O, Hollick, L M, and Royse, K R. 2014. Geology of the Wellington district —a brief explanation of the geological map. BGS Sheet explanation 1:50,000 Sheet 311 Wellington NB There is no full ‘modern’ Memoir available, but the original 1906 Memoir by Ussher, W.A.E. 1906. The geology of the country between Wellington and Chard. Explanation of sheet 311 (with contributions by HB Woodward and AJ Jukes-Browne) BGS Memoir E311 is available digitally at https://webapps.bgs.ac.uk/data/publications/publication.html?id=19865250
Sheet 312 Yeovil – Wilson, V Welch, FBA Robbie, JA and Green, GW. 1958. Geology of the country around Bridport and Yeovil. BGS Memoir for 1:50,000 geological sheets 327 and 312.
Other BGS information – There is also a wide range of other information on the BGS website – not all technical and with new material being added regularly – so it is well worth a browse to see what is available. This includes borehole data, educational resources and archival material. For example, the original field work for the published 1:50,000 (and former 1:63,360 scale) maps was largely undertaken by recording the geology on Ordnance Survey base maps at the 1:10,560 (or later 1:10,000) scale, cut to fit a standard field-mapping case. The BGS has now also made these hand drawn field/fair copy maps at the1:10,560 scale available through its maps portal. See Geological Survey of England and Wales County Series 1:10,560 maps – Somerset
Page last revised April 2025.
Calcareous Grit in Church, South Chard
