Structure uncovered at Stainton beck

I visited a different area of Stainton beck that only shows the red clay deposit that usually sits well above the gravel beds, and found quite a lot of mineralised bone buried in the stoneless clay.

I then noticed a wooden structure above were the red clay.

I decided to do a small excavation and was surprised to find what appeared to be a small road, pathway? made from mostly whinstone ( basaltic andesite) from the  Cleveland dyke at this location.

If ime right and i think i am this structure at least pre dates the old Thornton hall as the path or road would have had to pass through the old hall garden walls and they are still there, and there is no gateway.

Also there was no steel or iron to be found in the wood nore any pottery, or brick the ends of the wood have been chopped away not sawn.

 

 

First visit by my good freind Roger Curry to view the Stainton gravel beds and the Cleveland dyke at Stainton

This first image shows Roger pointing at the Stainton gravel bed, not far to the right is where i found the possible human tbia.

This image shows a magnet a lot stronger than i usually use stuck tight to a rock

I was recently visited by a friend who i met on a mineral forum, i showed the lad round my local excavations here are his observations. Roger said - He believes like others who have visited this area with me that ive discovered as yet unknown magnetic phenomena and geological deposits.

                          

Fossil rich slab found on Boltonmoss hill

This fossil rich slab i strongly believe like 99% of the rock found on the surface around this area came from the Stainton gravel beds. It looks to be Carboniferous limestone.

Fossil burnt wood excavated from the Stainton grav...

Fossill slabs

Auroch skulls ?

The first five images show what are said to be Auroch skulls by the paleo direct site, the next shows a modern cow skull.

The remaining images show skull pieces found by myself and my daughter that i believe have been washed from the Stainton gravel beds in the south west area of Cleveland North east England.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stainton becks deflection due to the Cleveland Dyke.

This image shows how the water way we now know as Stainton beck was deflected at some earlier point in time, due to the natural dam that is the Cleveland Dyke.

The beck valley can be seen from right to left in the image by following the tree line, and just before the houses that can be seen above the tree tops to the left, is where the water way has hit the barrier that is the Dyke.

 And was then deflected to the north west to its confluence with Stainsby beck were once united managed to breech the dyke about a quarter of a mile further north.

 

 The magnetic properties of the Cleveland dyke in t... 

 

 The Stainton gravel beds

 

 

 

 

Further in to dig one at Stainton beck

This image shows the deposits shown in earlier posts, the deposit appears  alluvial in origin and contains Jurassic fossils in very good condition.

I am now well into this deposit and i am starting to notice it seems more uniformed the deeper i get ie seperated red and blue layers

These are a selection of the isolated rocks found today.

Stainton gravel beds, and clay deposits.

The image below i believe shows the same red clay that covers all the areas in the south west Cleveland area and sits directly below the Stainton gravel beds, the first image was taken at Fanny Bells Gill just before its confluence with the river Leven

This image shows what i believe to be a very good exposure of Triassic Mercia mudstone about a mile down river.

This exposure just up river from the image above, is i believe also Mercia mudstone, and is also the site of an old mill that was built upon the Triassic bedrock.

A good image of the bedrock.

This image i think shows Mercia mudstone that has been exposed earlier in time and weathered.

The last image shows the whole natural weir.

 I believe that because the surrounding banks are so steep that what has and is now to be seen, could easily be mistaken for glacial till, but is infact a mixture of individual fluvial layers that have eroded over time with the help of the more modern Leven flow.

 

 

More can be viewed regarding tthe Stainton gravel beds by clicking the link below

The Stainton gravel beds

Agar 1954 on the deposits in the south west area of Cleveland.

Agar covered in detail the deposits to the north of Stainton created by the ice-dammed water-body that is said to have stood far below the 50 metre elevation of the Stainton site's.  Neither of the papers i have now looked at explicitly cover the south west area of Cleveland, but Agar ( 1954) maps the area as being till- covered with no detail on other beds in the area.

I can now with some confidence state that Agar mapped the area wrong, the area is far from a till covered glacial mess in fact i am yet to come across anything that resembles a till deposit or indeed any glacial erratics on the surface, every area i have excavated is proof in itself that Agar mapped the area wrong, and in doing so tells me he never actually looked hard enough to have the right to map it at all .

Magnetic rock found in the Stainton gravel beds.

This Basalt was excavated two days ago from the same excavation as the slab in the previous post. This i believe to be Basaltic Andesite from the nearby Cleveland Dyke, the Quartz or calcite veins i first thought were filled vesicles, but ime now sure there not.

The basalt is by far the most magnetic ive found so far, it attracts a magnet from 10mm away.

In my experience the tell tale signe to id Whinstone ( Basaltic Andesite ) can be seen to the top right of this image, its the white half circle that is the point of impact of the hammer blow that cracked the rock. Obviously the unique crystals also give a big clue!

 

More can be viewed regarding the Stainton gravel beds by clicking the link below

The Stainton gravel beds

 

 

The magnetic properties of the Cleveland dyke in t...

New fossil rich slab dug from the Stainton gravel beds

This slab was excavated today it has the normal Gryphaea trace as a lot of the others but the bivalve? to the centre ime not sure of yet.

More can be viewed regarding the Stainton gravel beds bThe Stainton  clicking the link below
The Stainton gravel beds