Click on the image to read more about each of the different geological periods; ‘M’ indicates that the rocks are to be found in Martley.

It is challenging to attempt to explain geological time scales, times so long and so far beyond our experience that they are impossible to grasp. Perhaps you have read that if the whole history of the earth (four thousand five hundred million years) was condensed to one day, twenty four hours, then mankind appeared in the last one and a half minutes!! (five million years). If we say that ‘civilization’ has developed over the last 5000 years then this, on the 24 hour clock, is around one tenth of one second! One tenth of one second. Amazing.
Ah well, you might say but what about the rocks? Well, some of the rocks in England (and Martley) have been around since Pre-Cambrian times and are dated at approximately 670 million years. Three and a half hours on the 24 hour clock! So there was an awful lot of time for things to happen before that. Here are some other links if you wish to read more National Geographic, Earth’s Timeline,

Here is a Wikipedia timeline showing how life has developed
and here is an elegant 24 hour clock–click on it to see it larger