Triassic

Triassic – from 251 million to 199 million years ago

Severn Valley
Permian and Triassic sandstones and mudstones underlie the countryside in this view from Shavers End Quarry at the north end of the Abberley Hills. Looking towards the Severn valley Permian and Triassic sandstones and mudstones underlie the Severn valley. These “New Red Sandstone” rocks were laid down in desert conditions about 250 million years ago.

Permian Haffield Breccia
The Haffield Breccia was created by catastrophic events (flash floods) bringing debris from a nearby mountain range. The breccia is now found capping hills such as Abberley and Woodbury.

Blackstone Rock river cliff
Blackstone Rock river cliff is Permian Bridgnorth Sandstone capped by Triassic Kidderminster Formation pebble beds. These beds were laid down in desert conditions when this area was at the same latitude as the Sahara Desert today.

Takla Makan Desert in China
The picture shows a similar environment of deposition, in a desert in present day Central Asia. During Permian and Triassic times the continents of the world were grouped together in the supercontinent Pangaea. There were desert conditions across the Midlands and far beyond to the east right across Europe. Mountains were eroded by catastrophic events producing the coarse angular deposits of the Haffield Breccia. Later in time sandstones and mudstones were laid down. In places there are ancient sand dunes and also salt lake deposits. Photo: Alan V Morgan, Dept of Earth Sciences, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.

Hartlebury Castle
Hartlebury Castle is built of reddish orange Triassic sandstone blocks.
Triassic rocks are found throughout the area in the valley of the River Severn.