A Comparison of the Red Rocks of the South Devon Coast with those of the Midland and Western Counties

Abstract

In September last I found it possible to carry out a long-standing engagement with the Rev. Dr. Irving to visit South Devon in his company, and to form an opinion upon his views regarding the age and succession of the great series of red rocks which are exposed to view in such magnificent sections along the coast to the east and west of the estuary of the River Exe. On reading Dr. Irving's paper, published in this Journal in 1888, it appeared to me that he had gone very far towards establishing his proposition that the brecciated beds forming the base of the whole series, and resting discordantly on the Devonian rocks, were really the representatives of the Lower Permian breccias of the Midland and Western counties, but I was little prepared for the—I might almost say—overwhelming evidence that such is the case upon an examination of the coast sections extending from Oddicombe Bay to and beyond Teignmouth and Dawlish. Having examined these basement-beds of the series, we continued our survey of the coast and inland sections of the succeeding strata eastwards to Sidmouth—terminating with the Keuper marls underlying the Cretaceous beds which form the cap of Salcombe Hill, and which break off in a lofty and precipitous cliff seawards; so that the whole structure of the ridge is laid open from the summit to the water's edge. The result of this reconnaissance has been to enable me to confirm in all the main points Dr. Irving's view, and to