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Earth Science Conservation Review
| Whiskin Rocks | Down |
| Site number: | 653 | ||
| Locality Type: | Foreshore | Status: | ASSI |
| Grid Reference: | J615734 Centroid | ||
| Google maps: | 54.58349,-5.50194 | ||
| County: | Down | Council area: | Ards & North Down Borough Council |
| Period: | Silurian | ||
| Lithostrat: | Strangford Group, Whiskin Sandstone Formation | ||
| Site Description | |
|---|---|
| Introduction: | |
Whiskin Rocks are located in the intertidal zone on the Irish Sea coast of the Ards Peninsula, approximately 3.5km south of Millisle (Fig. 22). There is direct access to the site from a point just south of the intersection of the Ballywhiskin Road and the main (A2) coast road. The site contains accessible outcrops of turbidite facies rocks, which are part of the Strangford Group (Silurian). A variety of structures are present that are typical of the Caledonian structures of Silurian rocks in County Down. The principle folds relate to the primary deformation (D1) and formed as a result of a NW-directed accretion process, which caused Iapetus Oceanic crust and geosynclinal sediments to be subducted along the Laurentian continental margin. | |
| Description: | |
Strata exposed at this site are bedded greywackes which have a bed thickness varying from a few tens of millimetres up to 3m. These are the lowermost strata in a succession of sandstones and shales (the Whiskin Sandstone) that outcrops between Whiskin Rocks and Drumfad Bay, 1.8km north of the site. Three bright green coloured bentonite units (10, 80 and 100mm thick) have also been noted. Anderson (1962) included the strata at Whiskin Rocks within the 'Ballywhiskin Block'. These rocks have subsequently been mapped further inland on the Ards Peninsula and redesignated as part of the 'Carrowdore Block' (Geological Survey of Northern Ireland, 1987). The structures at Whiskin Rocks are typical of the primary Caledonian deformation found throughout much of County Down. Graded-bedding in the turbidites indicates that the succession youngs towards the north. Towards the northern end of the section, several F1 fold pairs and occasional periclinal structures plunge ENE at angles of between 20° and 30°. These structures are generally upright and have a well-developed, steeply inclined axial-planar cleavage (S1). Wherever this cleavage intersects bedding surfaces, especially in the shale horizons, it forms an intersection lineation (L1). | |
| Notes: | |
For general information on the Structural Geology of Northern Ireland, directions to other Structural Geology sites and an extensive reference list see Key Site 641 - Introduction to the Structural Geology of N. Ireland. The full range of ESCR site relating to the Lower Palaeozoic are as follows: Outer Ards Stratigraphic, Palaeontological and Structural sites Coalpit Bay – Lower Palaeozoic (record no. 1350) Helen’s Bay – Grey Point – Lower Palaeozoic (record no. 1351) Kearney Point – Knockinelder Bay – Lower Palaeozoic (record no. 1352) Orlock Bridge – Lower Palaeozoic (record no. 1353) Tieveshilly – Carrstown – Lower Palaeozoic (record no. 1354) Orlock Bridge - Structural (record no. 652) Whiskin Rocks - Structural (record no. 653) White House Port, Cloghy - Structural (record no. 654) Knockinelder Bay and Kearney Point - Structural (record no. 655) Millin Bay - Structural (record no. 656) Pomeroy area Craigbardahessiagh and Bardahessiagh River – Palaeontology (record no. 29) Lime Hill Farm – Palaeontology (record no. 33) Little River and Slate Quarry Bridge – Palaeontology (record no. 31) | |
| Keywords | |
|---|---|
| Rocks: | Greywacke, Turbidite, Bentonite |
| Structures: | graded bedding, fold pairs, cleavage, fold |
| Relations: | Marine sediments |
| Access | |
|---|---|
| Approach: | There is direct access to the site from a point just south of the intersection of the Ballywhiskin Road and the main (A2) coast road. |
| Record type: | ESCR report | Recorded by: | T.P. Johnston |
| Entered by: | E M Porter | ||
| Last updated: | 23/09/03 | ||
| Enlander, I., Dempster, M. & Doughty, P., 2026. Whiskin Rocks, County Down, site details. [In] Earth Science Conservation Review. https://www.habitas.org.uk/escr/site.php?item=653. Accessed on 2026-11-07. |
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