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Earth Science Conservation Review

Summary Full report
Cushendun - Cave House (south of) - DevonianAntrim
Site number:308File Number:D23
ESCC:EC
Locality Type:Coastal section Status: ESCR
Grid Reference: D25373232 Centroid
Google maps: 55.12252,-6.03592
County: AntrimCouncil area:Causeway Coast & Glens Borough Council
Period:Devonian
Stages:Lower Devonian
Lithostrat:Cross Slieve Group, Cushendun Conglomerate
Site Description
image: 0308a.jpg Interbedded conglomerates and sandstones at the top of the Cushendun Formation, south of Cave House, Cushendun, Co.Antrim.
Interbedded conglomerates and sandstones at the top of the Cushendun Formation, south of Cave House, Cushendun, Co.Antrim.
Description:
The transitional strata between the lower and upper units of the Cushendun Formation consist of interbedded quartzite- conglomerates and sandstones. These are particularly well exposed on the south face of the steep sided amphitheatre located 150m southeast of Cave House. The conglomerates, which may be several metres thick, are dominated by quartzite clasts up to 20cm diameter and are erosive into the underlying sandstones. The sandstones are usually medium to coarse- grained with cross-bedding and parallel laminations and, very rarely, contain thin (2-3cm) beds of hard green mudstone.
image: 0308b.jpg Thin disrupted beds of green mudstone in coarse-grained sandstone (ruler 0.14m).
Thin disrupted beds of green mudstone in coarse-grained sandstone (ruler 0.14m).
The mudstones are laterally discontinuous and frequently occur as discrete, slightly concave-upwards tablets separated from one another by sandstone-filled cracks and as such may represent large scale examples of desiccation cracks. Palynological analysis of the mudstones failed to yield any miospores. Some 300m south-southeast of Cave House at the north end of the boulder-strewn beach (D25403220) are additional excellent exposures of interbedded coarse cobble quartzite conglomerates and cross-bedded sandstones.
Notes:
For general information and reference list on the Cross Slieve Group see Key Site 1146 - Cross Slieve Group; Cushendun to Port Obe.

For general information and reference list on the Devonian System in N. Ireland see Key Site 1147 - The Devonian System in N. Ireland - Introduction.
Keywords
Rocks:Conglomerate, Mudstone, Sand, Sandstone
Structures:cross-bedding, dessication cracks
Map(s): See the 1:50,000 O.S. Sheet 5 (Ballycastle).
Record type: Environment Serv. GIS, ESCR report    
Entered by: Doughty, P.J.
Last updated:31 May 2006
 Enlander, I., Dempster, M. & Doughty, P., 2026. Cushendun - Cave House (south of) - Devonian, County Antrim, site details. [In] Earth Science Conservation Review.
https://www.habitas.org.uk/escr/site.php?item=308. Accessed on 2026-11-06.

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