Contributions to the Geology of the Mere Fault and the Vale of Wardour Anticline

Abstract

Detailed mapping of the western end of the northern limb of the asymmetrical Tertiary Wardour Anticline around East Knoyle and the Mere Fault from West Knoyle to Bayford, a distance of nine miles, is described. The Mere Fault downthrows north bringing Jurassic rocks on the upthrown side against Cretaceous Beds on the downthrown side. The fault throw ranges from 600 feet at West Knoyle to 400 feet at Mere and 150 feet at Penselwood and Bayford. It maps as a steep reversed fault and as it is closely associated with the Tertiary Wardour fold it is likely to be of similar date. In this respect the Mere Fault has close analogues with the Poxwell-Ridgeway faults in south Dorset and with the Hog's Back structures in Surrey.