What a good day! After a stormy wet night–and that was just the TVGS future events planning meeting–it was lovely to see a bright sunny dry day that Richard the Farmer had chosen for further digger operations at Martley Rock.
Newly Revealed Malvern complex. Moira and John
Quickly summoning as many professionals as I could (I’m only just getting up, said M. Well it was 9.30am) I dashed to site to see that Andrew the JCB man, had already excavated a large patch of top soil covering the pre-cambrian rock near the rim of the old quarry. Unexpectedly the rock surface
dipped away behind the rim, so we will probably end up with pool number 2 there!
Andrew cleared the west end of the main trench, with some difficulty,
Richard Helping
as the recent rains caused his digger to slip and slide all over the place, then tackled the bit that both Richard (oh yes, a budding little geologist is Richard) and I wanted — the search for the missing triassic.
To explain. Martley Rock site started off with rocks from six systems–pre-cambrian, cambrian, devonian, triassic, carboniferous and quaternary. Closer inspection changed that a bit–the devonian became silurian, so no loss there, but what we thought was triassic was definitely shown to be more silurian (raglan mudstone)–they are only around 200 million years apart! As for quaternary, a much more recent system, well there are bits and pieces, but nothing important such as deposits of river gravels or even tufa rock. So that left only 4 ages of rocks. Not good enough.
Carboniferous, Silurian, Fault, Triassic
The East Malvern fault we knew, ran through site somewhere, and thanks to Bill Barclay of the British Geological Survey, we had a good idea where, viz to the east of the east end of the long trench. On the east side of the fault lay the fabled triassic–to be seen very clearly at Scar Cottage and the Nubbins as well as in many local buildings–and on the west side–we were not really sure. Richards farming knowledge of soil types and where these change has been invaluable and he thought that the line lay very close to the end of the trench, so we decided to dig from there. Amazing, within a couple of metres the grey blue carboniferous changed to damp, dull red clay of the Raglan thence to the unmistakeable brick red, drier and much more porous Triassic,
Look at that Colour
known here as Bromsgrove sandstone. Between the two, the East Malvern fault with a jumble of debris from that event. What is so pleasing is that the changeover is contiguous with the rest of the site, so it forms a
continuous story line. Thanks Andrew and Richard and also to Moira and John who came out at short notice to measure and record.
Sunday December 4th, Martley Rock. A day to inspect the site from a serious geological point of view to decide what else needs to be machine dug prior to manually tidying up the display. The thing about geology is that the proponents are so enthusiastic and are prepared to travel miles and give up their valuable time for no monetary reward–thanks Natalie, Paul, Bill, Moira and John for your input today. Bitterly cold and showering, what a real pleasure it was to retire to Tina’s charming, cosy, warm cottage ovelooking the unsurpassed Teme valley, for coffee, biscuits, a chat and a view of her excellent minerals collection. Thanks Tina!
26th November 2011–our first Rock Day along with our 1st AGM. It was a good day. Three stands–Earth Heritage Trust, TVGS and LEADER. We were pleased with the numbers–28 at the AGM, and approx. the same at the afternoon walk to local sites. AGM’s do not traditionally attract many but this was over in half an hour and we were into refreshments, very refreshing (lol) thank you Brenda for the lovely cakes and for those who helped behind the scenes with teas, coffees and washing up. The forum was useful in that people such as Natalie, Bob Allison and Paul Olver were able to speak about their particular interests and what was happening on them. Natalie is enthusiastic about the 1000 years of building with stone project, and after her explanation I think we all were too, we will be asked to register our interest in the project. Bob took the stand to promote his excellent Chantry Apple Fest that ran for the 2nd time this year on Oct 8th. From personal experience this was a lovely event, 96 apple types and much much more; of course Nat was there and put on her usual interesting display of fossil hunts and rock types. Apple pressing, bees, wood carving, hot dogs, and short plays by Chantry drama dept–thanks for these, they were so well acted, beautifully appropriate and actually brought a tear to my eye. I would like to see them again. We all hope the Apple fest will grow and grow and become a landmark Martley event. Paul spoke about the European Geo Villages project for which he is submitting a bid. The idea is that Martley, on account of its wide variety of rock systems, develops these with trails, displays and events to attract visitors from all over the world and to be partnered with the 2 or 3 other European Geo Villages already running or planned. We are to hold an events planning meeting shortly and just after that we hope to be able to publish more details of what is on for the next year or two. After lunch a large group set off for Martley Rock under the tutelage of Paul who gave us a very clear description of the different rock types to be found there. We signed the newly sited Visitors Book and I am glad to say so have several other parties independent of us, since. After ‘the rock’ some of us checked out the Nubbins, thanks Pam and Ian, then on to Chantry Geology Garden. In the evening too few of us really, enjoyed wonderful music (electric folk??–no! acoustic folk according to their website) with Whalebone, a group who would certainly be most welcome here again–thanks Dave for organising. Sunday I have managed to gather together some of our favourite geologists to check out Martley Rock, Monday is project progress meeting day and Wednesdy the last of Paul’s 6 evenings on the making of minerals. Thanks for your support, member numbers are already up to over 30 from last year’s 19 or so.
Some pictures of the day, a bit blurry I am afraid
Here are the unapproved minutes from this year’s AGM. Members of the society are eligible to vote at the next AGM.
No. AGM 1 AT MMH DATE 26th November 2011
PRESENT David Cropp (DC)(Acting Chair) John Nicklin (JN) (Acting Secretary) Natalie Watkins (NW)
Harriet Howell (Publicity) Mike Install (MI) Bob Allison (RA) (Chantry) Ingrid Darnley (Events)
APOLOGIES
Minutes of Previous Meeting
This was the first AGM. As such there were no prior minutes but the inaugural meeting minutes from 17th Nov. 2010 were used as reference
AGENDA
Chairman’s Report
Attached
Financial report
Attached
Fees for the year Nov 26 2011 to Nov 25th 2012, set at £7.50 single, £10.00 partners, £12.50 family
Membership Report
The first year saw 19 enrolled members and up to 90 on the information circulation list
Already this year, 25 have joined with 100 on the circulation list
Election of Officers
For our first year, 6 volunteers agreed to work on the committee. For the forthcoming year, those acting as Chair (D Cropp), Finance Officer (DC) and Secretary (J Nicklin) are willing to stand for election. This was proposed by Harriet Howell and seconded by Ian Pennell.
Other briefs—Publicity, Sites, Events, Education—were not proposed for re-election this year
During the year, for personal reasons, Nigel Bruen and Natalie Watkins withdrew from the committee.
AOB
A presentation was made to Natalie Watkins in appreciation of her tireless work in helping the society to find its feet and in developing all of the local geology.
Thanks and acknowledgements to Pam and Ian of Scar Cottage for their accommodation of visitors to their unique garden.
Thanks to Helen and Rob Taylor of Cob House Fisheries for opening up Martley Rock site and their great support of the society.
27 attended the AGM
FORUM
After the AGM, those present enjoyed refreshments (thank you to all who helped behind the scenes during the day and thanks in particular to Brenda Owen-Jones for the lovely cakes) then gathered for a discussion on forthcoming events. The ideas generated have been recorded separately and are taken forward to an events planning meeting in the near future.
J Nicklin, Secretary, 1st December 2011
Here is the Chairman’s Report followed by the financial report
THE TEME VALLEY GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY [TVGS]
REPORT: YEAR ENDING NOVEMBER 26TH 2011
The Society formed with an Inaugural Acting Committee on November 17th 2010,
drawing down a model constitution for clubs/societies from The Charities
Commission, and opened a Bank Account with Lloyds TSB The Cross Worcester.
On the basis of a wing and a prayer, and making a jump imto the dark TVGS
eventually applied for a LEADER Grant for the establishment of the site known as
MARTLEY ROCK. LEADER is a short-term fund from the EU, which Worcestershire
successfully bid for £2,300,000 for three years’ of locally generated community
projects in 87 rural parishes.
As a result of considerable effort by John Nicklin and significant professional
advice from Natalie Watkins from Earth Heritage Trust, and Dr.Paul Olver [who
also receives an accolade for his promotion of geology through the courses he
ran, and is running in Martley] Martley was successful, and received £26,000 to
develop the site. So it’s important to recognise the act of faith by the LEADER
Executive to support us. It is also important to recognise the major commitment.
made by Helen and Robert Taylor to facilitate access to the site on their land – it
shows a positive approach to the custodianship of such a geological heritage.
In the first year we have had courses run by Paul Olver – well-attended – and can
now support continuing learning through the LEADER fund. As the work on site
had progressed additional thanks are showered on Mr.R.Bray for his work, for
Andy Palmer for this project accounting work and for creating the on-site
registration system [aka ‘The Box’], and for the Path-or-Nones for clearing The
Nubbins, another important local site. The other team members: Harriet, Bob
and Ingrid also give their time to promote the organisation.
It may well be that Martley becomes the first properly established Geo-Village in
Europe and we are planning to coordinate and cooperate with other communities
in Europe, especially Sentheim in the Vosges in France, to action this.
Now to you the members – we of course wish you to join – or rejoin – the Society.
We need your ideas and contributions to how we wish our society to move
forward over the coming year. We are coming to recognise we live in an exciting
geological landscape in Martley – time to appreciate, learn and to enjoy it!
David Cropp
Inaugural Chair TVGS
THE TEME VALLEY GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY [TVGS]
UNAUDITED ACCOUNT REPORT: YEAR ENDING NOVEMBER 26TH 2011
The Society opened a Bank Account with Lloyds TSB The Cross Worcester as a
Club/Society Account – this account is also registered as an e-access business
account. There are no charges to the account; at present payments are made by
cheque on a single signature which will be adapted to two out of three signatures
once the formal officers have been elected at the first AGM today. The account
does not have a debit card.
In the first year the sole financial assets TVGS have accrued are:
Income from membership
Income from sales
Total Income
Expenditure
£90.00
£2.00
£92.00
NIL
The TVGS Account is also the vehicle for payments for the Martley Rock LEADER
payments and receipts; the two activities for the Society will be transacted and
recorded separately.
The revolving payments and receipts for LEADER are managed through interest-
free short term loans from three members, and the payments back to the
account are processed by BACS by Worcestershire County Council; this takes
place on a monthly returns and report process.
The first month cycle of payment and receipts is complete to date; the next
should be actioned on December 7th.,2011 and thereafter on approximately the
same date monthly.
There will be no virement between the two elements – membership and LEADER
Thanks Andy for making the site entrance noticeboard and a lift lid box to house the visitors’ book so that we can estimate the numbers of visitors going to Martley Rock. Hopefully all organized for the AGM, forum and guided walks day tomorrow (26th November 11am at Martley Memorial hall).
Behind the scenes we are working on the second claim to LEADER for submission by 7th December, having received an A* for the
Visitors' Book Box on its Pedestal
first one and hopefully cash in the bank today. The way it works is that we pay contractors then LEADER re-imburses us if all is in order.
LEADER forms part of the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE), funded by the EU and the UK Government. Please follow the attached link to visit the EU Commission’s Rural Development Website http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/rurdev/index_en.htm
PLEASE ADVISE IF YOU ARE TO COME ALONG ASAP SO WE CAN CATER
11.00—1130 1st TVGS AGM including election of officers. For our first year, a group of us volunteered for essential committee positions but these are now open for election—Chair, Secretary, Finance, Publicity, Events, Geology Specialist. Come prepared to volunteer or nominate!
11.30-12.00 Forum and Refreshments, taste cakes with a rock focus (nominal charge) and take part in an open forum to debate programme for 2011-2012, draft attached
During the day you will be able to catch up on the progress of the Martley Geology Project. There will be displays from Hereford and Worcestershire Earth Heritage Trust, TVGS and LEADER
13.30 Local Geology Tours. Reconvene after lunch for a choice of local geo tours, all within easy walking distance of the village hall. Each of these, we hope, will have a knowledgeable leader:
Martley Rock—see the site, with its five geological periods, that has been dramatically developed over the last 2 months—0.5 mile each way
Scar Cottage—exquisite Triassic sandstone quarry—0.25 mile each way
Martley Geology Trail—a trail around 7 or 8 geological features in Martley–+_2.5miles total
7.30pm—WHALEBONE–An evening of rootsy, folky, funky acoustic music (their words not mine)—tickets £8 (£7 concessions), refreshments available. This will be a relaxed social event with great music. Please support it as some of the proceedings will go to your society.
TVGS Membership for 2011-21012
Membership helps the society organise events and meet the costs of visiting lecturers. You will also receive priority when booking on open events and small discounts too. Rate for this year, £7.50 single, £10.00 partners, £12.50 family cheques to Teme Valley Geological Society
Above ground contract for walkways and fencing complete and looking impressive–thanks Dale and the Manor Estates team. There is some turfing to do in order to stabilise the steep slopes of quarry fill and that should be ready by next week. A team of geologists is to survey the site on December 4th to decide any further machine digging that is required, after that over to the trowellers–i.e. volunteers from the list on the TVGS database–don’t be shy! I think we are all very pleased with the way the work has gone and how the site has developed and at the moment we have our very own pre-cambrian lake shore (to be sorted). Hope you enjoy the pics. Birch Hill Coppice is the name of the local woodland.
Click here to link to the album and to see the photo locations. Switch to satellite to see the ground.
On the following slide show, click a picture to enlarge it then use the big arrows to the right and left to step through the enlarged photos at your leisure.
Martley Rock site was visited by two geo-physicists today. The idea behind this was to understand how non-destructive techniques, for example resisitivity or magnetic measurements could be used to map the boundaries between the rock types under the field just north of the trenches at Martley Rock. John and Marek of Subsurface Geotechnical were most interested in the astonishing variety of rock types at the site and impressed with the developments there. They will put together a proposal for work and discuss it with us in the coming weeks. Thanks for visiting, John and Marek! Meanwhile Dale and his team from Manor Estates are nearing the end of their part of the project. The accompanying photos show how the site looks with walkways being laid down behind the completed fencing. Dale has installed a strong wooden pillar as a stand for the visitor’s book in its rugged box, made kindly by Andy Palmer–thanks Andy. Soon visitor representatives will be able to sign in and this will help us tally the number of visitors to the site. Andy will add a leaflet dispenser too.
9th November 7.30pm saw the 3rd in the series of 6 evening courses on the Making of Minerals, with Dr Paul Olver. 24 enrolled, lecture before coffee then out with pen knives, bits of broken glass, old copper coins and the odd bathroom tile attempting to identify Paul’s myriad
Samples Awaiting Identification
collection of rock samples through sight, scratchability (my word) and streak testing. Geology is a surprise–probably the most difficult science–built on the back of tests carried out with odds and ends from the rubbish bin at home and complex words in foreign languages (orthoclase feldspar = right angle breaking field crystal duhh, why not say so?). Obsessive though and yes it was me who did a streak test with graphite on one of the village hall tables–jolly hard to remove without a rubber.
five more names from the class joined the TVGS database–now 91, with one overseas follower–Perth Australia, Vince McMahon.
Hope this works for you OK. 86 photos from our growing collection as a slide show. Click on a photo to enlarge it, or pause to look longer or step through. These show the changing site of Martley Rock as well as Penny Hill exposures and views from the top of the hill, Berrow Permian Breccia and other places. Those on the database will also receive an email prompt. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF THIS DOESN’T WORK. In the past some have been unable to open the Picasa folders but I suspect this is due to works based firewalls. Photos thanks to Hannah Nicklin, Phil Vincent, Mike Install, Andy Priest, John Nicklin.
The 86 are divided into:
Slides 1 to 53–Martley Rock, Pre-Cambrian, Cambrian, Silurian, Carboniferous, Triassic
Slides 54 to 55–Quarry Farm, Wenlock (Silurian) Limestone
Slides 56 to 65–Penny Hill, Wenlock (Silurian) Limestone
Slides 66 to 79–Nubbins and Scar Cottage, Bromsgrove (Triassic) Sandstone
Slides 80 to 84–Berrow Hill South, Permian
Slides 85 to 86–Miss Phillips Conglomerate
Sunday December 4th, Martley Rock. A day to inspect the site from a serious geological point of view to decide what else needs to be machine dug prior to manually tidying up the display. The thing about geology is that the proponents are so enthusiastic and are prepared to travel miles and give up their valuable time for no monetary reward–thanks Natalie, Paul, Bill, Moira and John for your input today. Bitterly cold and showering, what a real pleasure it was to retire to Tina’s charming, cosy, warm cottage ovelooking the unsurpassed Teme valley, for coffee, biscuits, a chat and a view of her excellent minerals collection. Thanks Tina!
