Craven & Pendle Geological Society founded in 1990 derived its name from the majestic Pendle Hill and the rolling landscape of the Craven Lowlands (Craven Basin / Bowland Basin). North-east Lancashire flourished due to coal mining and textiles whilst Clitheroe's economy thrived on quarrying limestone. Close proximity to the Yorkshire Dales, Lake District, and the Peak District (all areas of outstanding natural beauty) certainly makes for pleasant field meetings during Summer.
Carboniferous rocks (362.5 MA) are divided into Mississippian (Lower), and Pennsylvanian (Upper) and include bioclastic limestones, calcareous shale, mudstone, millstone grit and sandstone. Fossils such as foraminifera, trilobites and ammonoids play a crucial role in zoning the Lower Carboniferous whilst goniatite marine bands are the Upper Carboniferous diagnostic fauna. Sandy deltas (cyclothems) and equatorial swamp forests eventually gave rise to the formation of coal.
Carboniferous times saw the spread of amphibians, shark-like fish, reptiles, insects and winged insects. In the Silesian, non-marine bivalves play an important part in correlation of strata. On land a rich and diverse flora thrived. The Carboniferous Period ended when general desiccation (failure of coal seams and the spread of red beds) began in the north and spread southwards. So began the Permian Period.
