The pre‐glacial evolution of Wales

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Abstract
The classical explanation of the development of the Welsh landscape by the effects of a pulsed ‘eustatic’ uplift during the Cenozoic times is challenged by new data on the geology and geomorphology of Wales and the adjacent regions.The post‐Caledonian surface developed over most of Wales in the upper Westphalian plays a major role in landform development. Since its emergence before mid‐Cretaceous times, the Welsh Massif has suffered a long subaerial evolution which favoured a powerful chemical weathering. In Anglesey and St. David's Land, residual hills were formed by a process of differential weathering, and downwearing in saprolites. The Millstone Grit quartzites have been deeply weathered and dolines or flat‐bottomed basins have been developed.From Cretaceous to Miocene times, a morphotectonic equilibrium has existed between uplift and denudation, so that, in the major part of Wales, the original planation surface was constantly maintained by lowering on itself and in some places it is possible to prove that no more than a few dozen metres of rock thickness disappeared during that period. Several main escarpments were produced by the warping of the planation surface along sharp flexures, during Neogene times. The Cenozoic vertical movements were controlled by the Caledonian or pre‐Caledonian tectonic pattern which has divided the continental crust into major structural units.Welsh tectonic development is related to the opening of the North Atlantic, associated stresses reactivating ancient lines of weakness in the heterogeneous lower crust or upper mantle.