The BGS Lexicon of Named Rock Units — Result Details

Sheen Sandstones

Computer Code: SNS Preferred Map Code: notEntered
Status Code: Full
Age range: Marsdenian Substage (CZ) — Marsdenian Substage (CZ)
Lithological Description: A grey and pale brown, fine-grained, feldspathic, sandstone, thinly-to thickly-bedded with subordinate beds of mudstone with sideritic ironstone; ripple-laminated in upper part.
Definition of Lower Boundary: The lower boundary is taken at the base of the first sandstone-dominated unit above fissile black mudstone that includes a Bilinguites bilinguis (R2b1) Marine Band.
Definition of Upper Boundary: The upper boundary is taken at the base of a mudstone-dominated succession (Millstone Grit Group, undivided) overlying the uppermost leaf of the Sheen Sandstones.
Thickness: 25 m thick.
Geographical Limits: Restricted to the area around Sheen, Staffordshire, SK 11 62.
Parent Unit: Millstone Grit Group [See Also MIGR] (MG)
Previous Name(s): Lower Sheen Grit; Upper Sheen Grit [Obsolete Name and Code: Use SNS] (-1835)
Alternative Name(s): none recorded or not applicable
Stratotypes:
Type Area  Sheen, Staffordshire, displaying numerous exposures in streams and on Sheen Hill. Aitkenhead et al. 1985. 
Reference Section  Sheen Sandstones (Lower Leaf), section in stream gully east of Ridge End, Staffordshire exposes 16.46 m of thin and thickly-bedded grey and pale brown fine-grained sandstone and interbedded silty mudstone with sideritic ironstone. Aitkenhead et al. 1985. 
Reference Section  Sheen Sandstones (Middle Leaf), stream section south of Moorhouse (Staffs) exposes thinly-bedded ripple-laminated grey-brown fine grained micaceous sandstone. Aitkenhead et al., 1985. 
Reference(s):
Aitkenhead, N, Chisholm, J I, and Stevenson, I P. 1985. Geology of the country around Buxton, Leek and Bakewell. Memoir of the British Geological Survey, England and Wales Sheet 111. 
Bisat, W S and Hudson, R G S. 1943. The Lower Reticuloceras (R1) goniatite succession in the Namurian of the North of England. Proceedings of the Yorkshire Geological Society, Vol. 24 Pt. 6, 383-438. 
1:50K maps on which the lithostratigraphical unit is found, and map code used:
E111