Ludlow Beds EarthCache
Hidden : 5/13/2013
Difficulty:
2 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size: other (other)

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Geocache Description:

This Geocache is easily picked up whilst completing various multi-caches present in Ludlow Town. Please be careful with geokids and geohounds as you cross the bridge and road to get to GZ. The success of your log relies on three questions which may require some research as well as observations at GZ.
 
Keep a look out whilst walking around the town and see if you can see anything noted in this Geocache.

The Ludlow beds are a subdivision of the British Upper Silurian dating to around 420 million years old. It lies below the Old Red Sandstone (now called the Downton Beds) and consists of a mixture of green, grey and brown mudstones and calcareous shales.
The rocks are used for a variety of construction purposes including tiles (shales), bricks (mudstones) and building stone (sandstones). The buildings of Ludlow have been made of the local stone and a walk around the town can be followed at www.shropshiregeology.org.uk. This article; The building stones of Ludlow: a walk through the town by Michael Rosenbaum provides an insight.

The Castle itself is constructed of the Whitcliffe Beds which are the upper section of the Ludlow Beds.

There are many fossils in the Ludlow beds including Trilobites, Brachiopods, Pelecypods, Gastropods, Fish and Celphalopods. However, the Ludlow Beds are dated and zoned by E M R Wood by using Graptolites which have distinctive stipe (branch) morphology allowing fine differentiation between layers of series.

Question 1: One of the most recognised fossil beds can be found in Lentwardine in Herefordshire (the Lower Ludlow sections are known as the Lentwardine beds). What is Cyathaspis Ludensis the earliest example of, which has been found at this location?

Question 2: The rocks at the co-ordinates given above show a characteristic weathering pattern. What is this known as and how does it happen?

Question 3: Please explain why the zonal fossils described above make such good stratigraphic markers and what conditions allowed them to be so well preserved in the fossil record?
You may wish to add a photo to your log as there is a great view of the castle from this location. If you follow the footpath along the river there are other outcrops for your viewing.
Please note that this area is a Special Site of Scientific Interest and under no circumstances should you disturb the rock outcrops or use hammers and other equipment that may damage the site. Please leave the area as found, to allow others to visit in the future. Thanks must go to Natural England for their advice, to Shropshire Wildlife Trust and to The Friends of Whitcliffe Common for their permission to place this Earthcache.
Please message me your answers and add “found it” to you profile. I shall do my upmost to reply to your email. Should you not fulfil the criterion for this Earthcache I would reserve the right to delete your log.

Additional Hints (No hints available.)



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