Category:11. Welsh Borderland

This account provides a broad perspective of the geology of the Welsh Borderland region which comprises the south-east of Powys, southern Shropshire, northern Gwent, the western half of Hereford and Worcester and a very small part of northern Gloucestershire. Figure P902280 provides a geological sketch map of this region showing the rock types occurring in relation to the major towns and cities. This account outlines the geology to a depth of at least a kilometre and summarises the current and historical use of the geological resources in the area.

The Welsh Borders region contains a broad range of rock types and ages, exposing some of the oldest rocks in England and Wales. However, the geology of the region at depth is generally poorly understood due to a lack of deep drilled boreholes and seismic exploration survey data. Despite this uncertainty at depth, the geology at the surface is well understood, due to a reasonable number and spread of shallower boreholes, and local quarrying.

The landscape in the region is variable, from broad rolling hills to more pronounced steep ridges and valleys. This landscape has exposed a variety of different rock types and these are especially well exposed in the areas with steeper slopes. The north-east margin of the region towards Telford (outside of the region) has been quarried for coal. Information gained from quarrying activity has also provided valuable information to better understand the geology of this part of the region.