The Widmerpool Gulf is a name given to a sedimentary basin that existed as an area of open water during the Early Carboniferous ( Tournaisian Age). It is named after Widmerpool, near Nottingham and was an extension eastwards as far as Lincolnshire, of the North Staffordshire Gulf. It was formed during a rifting event, which began in the Late Devonian, that affected the area between the London-Brabant Massif to the south and the Highland Boundary Fault to the north. [1] It has a large normal fault on its southern margin and has the form of a half-graben. [2]
In time, the equatorial swamp forests on its shores were converted into the coalfields of Leicestershire, to the south and Nottinghamshire, to the north.
References
- ^ "Waters, C.N., Browne, M.A.E., Dean, M.T., and Powell, J.H., 2007. Lithostratigraphical framework for Carboniferous successions of Great Britain (Onshore). British Geological Survey Research Report, RR/07/01. 60pp" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2009-04-05. Retrieved 2008-11-06.
- ^ "Waters, C.N.; Davies, S.J.. 2006 Carboniferous : extensional basins, advancing deltas and coal swamps. In: Brenchley, P.J.; Rawson, P.F., (eds.) The geology of England and Wales. London, England, Geological Society of London, 173-223" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2009-04-05. Retrieved 2008-11-06.
- Hains, B.A. and Horton, A. British Regional Geology, Central England. 3rd Edn. (1969)