Siccar Point

Coordinates: 55°55′54″N 2°18′04″W / 55.931588°N 2.3012°W / 55.931588; -2.3012
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Siccar Point
IUGS
Geological Heritage Site

Siccar Point is a rocky promontory in the county of Berwickshire on the east coast of Scotland. It is famous in the history of geology for Hutton's Unconformity found in 1788, which James Hutton regarded as conclusive proof of his uniformitarian theory of geological development.

History

St. Helen's Chapel.

Siccar Point was the site of a

ancient Britons
.

Siccar Point is now in the parish of

drystone dyke forming the field boundaries. It is likely that the medieval
village of Old Cambus was nearer to Siccar Point than the extant hamlet of Old Cambus.

To the south of the point twentieth-century quarrying for greywacke to be used as roadstone left a hollow named Old Cambus Quarry which is now occupied by a vegetable distribution warehouse complex.[1]

Hutton's Unconformity

Main article: Hutton's Unconformity

Siccar Point is notable in the history of geology as a result of a boat trip in 1788 in which geologist James Hutton observed the angular unconformity of the point.[2] He wrote later that the evidence of the rocks provided conclusive proof of the

uniformitarian theory of geological development; that is, that the natural laws and processes which operate in the universe have never changed and apply everywhere. In respect for its great importance to the development of geoscience, this locality was included by the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) as the first of 100 'geological heritage sites' around the world in a listing published in October 2022.[3]

  • The rugged point, seen from above, shows gently sloping beds of red sandstone above vertical beds of greywacke, forming a classic example of Hutton's Unconformity.
    The rugged point, seen from above, shows gently sloping beds of red sandstone above vertical beds of greywacke, forming a classic example of Hutton's Unconformity.
  • The eroded sandstone outcrop above conglomerate and vertical ribs of greywacke, still much as when sketched in 1788 by Hutton's companion Sir James Hall.
    The eroded sandstone outcrop above conglomerate and vertical ribs of greywacke, still much as when sketched in 1788 by Hutton's companion Sir James Hall.
  • Field sketch of Hutton's Unconformity at Siccar Point, Scotland by Sir James Hall (1788).[2]
    Field sketch of Hutton's Unconformity at Siccar Point, Scotland by Sir James Hall (1788).[2]
  • Headlands south of Siccar Point showing tilted strata and unconformities
    Headlands south of Siccar Point showing tilted strata and unconformities

See also

References

  1. ^ Cliff Ford (2 September 2003). "Siccar Point: Safety". Field Excursion Preview. University of Edinburgh School of GeoSciences. Archived from the original on 14 February 2012. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
  2. ^ a b Kerr, Andrew (2018). "Classic Rock Tours 1. Hutton's Unconformity at Siccar Point, Scotland: A Guide for Visiting the Shrine on the Abyss of Time". Geoscience Canada. 45 (1). The Geological Association of Canada: 27–42.
    doi:10.12789/geocanj.2018.45.129
    . Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  3. ^ "The First 100 IUGS Geological Heritage Sites" (PDF). IUGS International Commission on Geoheritage. IUGS. Retrieved 2 November 2022.

External links

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