Earth Science Conservation Review
| Ballyhalbert Pier | Down |
| Site Type: | Coastal exposure |
| Site Status: | ASSI |
| Grid Reference: | J660633 |
| Google maps: | 54.49139,-5.4381 |
| Rocks | |
|---|---|
| Rock Age: | Devonian, Silurian (Lower Devonian) |
| Rock Name: | Newry Igneous Complex |
| Rock Type: | Greywacke, Shale, Turbidite, Lamprophyre, Minette, Spessartite, Vogesite |
| Interest | |
| Other interest: | Caledonian, dyke, Intrusion |
Introduction:
This site is located immediately east of Ballyhalbert Pier on the Ards Peninsula. Viewing of the exposure is tide dependent and should be done at least two hours before high tide on a rising tide, and one hour after high tide on a falling tide. Care is needed when traversing slippery rock surfaces.
The first edition of the one-inch to the mile geological map Sheet 38 (Geological Survey of Ireland, 1869) shows a number of lamprophyre dykes of hornblende and mica type, intruded into folded Upper Silurian country rocks. In the accompanying explanatory memoir, Hull, Warren and Leonard (1871) described the country rocks and lamprophyre dykes in some detail. Reynolds (1931) made a number of significant advances in the study of the lamprophyre dykes. She described these dykes as uncrushed and assigned them to a "younger series" found to occur north of a line joining Ringburr Point on the west of the Ards Peninsula to Ringboy Point on the east. Current classification (Smith, Johnston and Legg, 1991) of these undeformed dykes indicates lamprophyres belonging to the vogesite and minette groups with occasional spessartites.
The first edition of the one-inch to the mile geological map Sheet 38 (Geological Survey of Ireland, 1869) shows a number of lamprophyre dykes of hornblende and mica type, intruded into folded Upper Silurian country rocks. In the accompanying explanatory memoir, Hull, Warren and Leonard (1871) described the country rocks and lamprophyre dykes in some detail. Reynolds (1931) made a number of significant advances in the study of the lamprophyre dykes. She described these dykes as uncrushed and assigned them to a "younger series" found to occur north of a line joining Ringburr Point on the west of the Ards Peninsula to Ringboy Point on the east. Current classification (Smith, Johnston and Legg, 1991) of these undeformed dykes indicates lamprophyres belonging to the vogesite and minette groups with occasional spessartites.
| Enlander, I., Dempster, M. & Doughty, P., 2024. Ballyhalbert Pier, County Down, site summary. [In] Earth Science Conservation Review. https://www.habitas.org.uk/escr/summary.php?item=579. Accessed on 2024-12-26 |
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