(Near vertical layers going off into the distance) - 2007

Rocks along this coastal section form part of the sequence are referred to loosely as the 'Old Red Sandstone' (ORS).

The headlands at Manorbier (Priest's Nose on the eastern side and East Moor Cliff on the west side) are in the Moor Cliffs Formation (which is the middle of three formations that make up the Milford Haven Group of the ORS).

The cliffs and foreshore in the bay itself are in the succeeding* Freshwater West Formation which is subdivided as follows (*bedding is near-vertical - rocks get younger in northwards direction).

The inner cliffs on each side of the bay are in the Conigar Pit Sandstone Member of this formation but the south-facing cliffs and wave-cut platform in the central part of the bay provide exposures of the succeeding Rat Island Mudstone Formation.

In terms of chronostratigraphy things are a little more complicated (as always!). The Townsend Tuff lies within the Moor Cliffs Formation and has generally been considered to mark the Silurian / Devonian boundary ie. the lowest part of the Old Red Sandstone sequence is late Silurian in age and the rest of the rocks at Manorbier are early Devonian in age.

1:250 000 Geological Map of Manorbier Bay Geological Maps are sold either Flat or Folded for Solid, or Seabed geology. Special editions may be available for certain locations. For a complete list click the link below. Click here to BUY ONLINE from our Store

1: 50 000 Geological Map of Manorbier Bay Geological Maps are sold either Flat or Folded for Solid, Drift or combined geology. Special editions and memoirs are available for certain locations. For a complete list of 1: 50 000 maps, click the link below. Click here to BUY ONLINE from our Store