Woburn Sands Formation facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Woburn Sands Formation Stratigraphic range: Late Aptian- Early Albian PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Type	Geological formation
Unit of	Lower Greensand Group
Underlies	Gault Formation
Overlies	Jurassic or older rocks, usually mudstones of the Ancholme Group like the Oxford Clay, Kimmeridge Clay and Ampthill Clay
Thickness	up to 120 metres (390 ft)
Lithology
Primary	Sandstone
Other	Clay
Location
Region	Europe
Country	England
Extent	Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire
Type section
Named for	Woburn, Bedfordshire
Location	Disused fuller's earth workings between Woburn Sands and Woburn

The Woburn Sands Formation is a special layer of rock found in England. It's part of a bigger group of rocks called the Lower Greensand Group. In some places, it's the only rock layer from that group, so people just call it the 'Lower Greensand'.

This rock layer formed a long, long time ago. It was created during the late Aptian to early Albian stages. These are specific time periods within the Early Cretaceous era. That's about 113 million years ago!

What is the Woburn Sands Formation?

The Woburn Sands Formation is mainly made of sandstone or loose sand. Sometimes, you can find thin layers or tiny bits of clay mixed in. Imagine a very old sandy beach or a riverbed that turned into rock over millions of years.

How it Formed

This rock layer was laid down during the Early Cretaceous period. This was a time when dinosaurs roamed the Earth. The sand and clay were deposited by ancient rivers or seas. Over time, these layers were pressed together and became rock.

The "Coprolite Industry"

In the 1800s, people dug up a lot of the Woburn Sands Formation. They were looking for something called "coprolites." This was a local name for special rock lumps. These lumps were actually phosphate nodules. They looked a bit like fossilized animal droppings, which are true coprolites.

These phosphate nodules were very important. They were used to make fertilizer for farms. This helped crops grow better. So, the "coprolite industry" was a big deal back then.

Ancient Fossils Found Here

The Woburn Sands Formation is a treasure chest of ancient life. It contains fossils that are even older than the formation itself! These are called "reworked" fossils. This means they were washed into the sand from older rock layers that no longer exist nearby.

Some of these older fossils are from the late Tithonian and Berriasian ages. These are similar in age to fossils found in other rock layers like the Sandringham Sand Formation in Norfolk. You can find fossils like Dicranodonta and a type of ammonite called Subcraspedites.

Dinosaur Discoveries

One of the most exciting finds in the Woburn Sands Formation is reworked dinosaur material. This has been found in a place called Potton. Imagine finding pieces of dinosaur bones or teeth that were washed into this sand millions of years ago! It tells us that dinosaurs lived in this area during the time these older rocks were forming.