Geology

Plymouth historically sits within the county of Devon which is one of the most geologically diverse counties in England. Geo-diversity is the term used for all the rocks, minerals and landforms, and all the processes which have formed these features over geological time. It may be difficult to imagine, but Devon has been dominated by water and desert at different periods in Earth's history.

The rocks beneath us provide building materials for soils, which in turn attract wildlife of all kinds. The southern parts of Plymouth lie on Devonian Limestone whilst the northern parts lie on Devonian Shillets. These very different geologies give rise to diverse soils with the shillets producing acid soils and the limestone more calcareous soils. Some plants are attracted to specific soil types, while other plant species are more adaptable and can thrive on a variety of soils.

Geology plays a key role in the economic viability of various farming practices, determines building materials used to build communities and even influencing where to build homes and where to build industry: we all have a close relationship with geology. Please use the links in the left hand menu to find out more about the geological sites in Plymouth.

Human settlements have always been shaped by the landscape and the resources available, which ultimately depend on the geology below. There have been some important archaeological finds in Plymouth, and you can also visit Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery which maintains two mineral collections: The Richard Barstow mineral collection and Sir John St Aubyn's mineral collection.

Natural England provides more information on the geological development of Devon. Robert Thomas' article 'The Geology of Plymouth' provides a good overview of the city's geology. Please use the links in the left hand menu to find out more about the Educational Register of Geological Sites.

If you would like to get more involved with geology visits please have a look at The Geological Society South West Regional Group. If you have photographs of interesting landscapes or geological features in Plymouth please send them in and we will put the best on this site.