The stratigraphy and palaeontology of the 'Keuper' Series of the central Midlands of England

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Abstract
A reappraisal of the stratigraphical status of the formations constituting the series traditionally termed 'Keuper' in central England is given, based on palaeontological and sedimentological evidence. The 'Keuper' Sandstone is a fluvial facies representing a sub-aerial deltaic environment and is of upper Scythian and Anisian age. At the base of the 'Keuper' Sandstone is a significant disconformity which is probably equivalent to the Hardegsen Disconformity of Germany. The 'Keuper' Waterstones are a marine or semi-marine facies of transgressive nature and represent the distal facies belt of the delta complex. The Waterstones facies is of lower Ladinian age in the central Midlands but is probably older in more northerly districts (Cheshire, Yorkshire, etc). The Keuper Marl is of Keuper age, representing at least the upper Ladinian and Carnian stages of the European Keuper, and is largely the deposit of a hypersaline epeiric sea. A correlation chart and a series of palaeographical maps, based on the new evidence provided in this paper, are presented.