View source for Bovey Formation

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox rockunit
| name           = Bovey Formation
| period         = Paleogene
| age            = {{fossilrange|Eocene|Oligocene}}
| image          = 
| imagesize      = 
| caption        = 
| type           = [[Geological formation]]
| prilithology   = [[Clay]], [[Lignite]], [[Sand]]
| otherlithology = 
| unitof         = 
| subunits       = Lappathorn Member, Abbrook Clay and Sand Member, Southacre Clay And Lignite Member
| underlies      = [[Alluvium]]
| overlies       = [[Aller Gravel Formation]] 
| thickness      = up to {{Convert|1200|m|ft|-1}}
| area           = 
| map            = 
| map_caption    = 
<!----Location---->
| location       =
| coordinates    = 
| region         = [[Europe]]
| country        = {{flag|UK}}
| extent         = [[Devon]]
<!--Type section--->
| namedfor       = <!--Usually a nearby town-->
| namedby        = <!--Author of defining paper-->
| year_ts        = <!--Year of definition-->
| location_ts    = <!--Place,mountain,...-->
| coordinates_ts = 
| paleocoordinates_ts = 
| region_ts      = <!--Region of type section-->
| country_ts     = <!--Country of type section-->
| thickness_ts   = <!--Thickness at type section-->
}}
The '''Bovey Formation''' is a deposit of [[sand]]s, [[clay]]s and [[lignite]], probably over 1000&nbsp;feet thick.<ref name="bgs">{{cite book
  | last = Selwood
  | first = E.B
  | title = British Geological Survey: Geology of the country around Newton Abbot
  | publisher = HMSO
  | year = 1984
  | location = London
  | isbn = 0-11-884274-9
  | page = 130|display-authors=etal}}</ref> It lies in a [[sedimentary basin]] termed the Bovey Basin which extends from [[Bovey Tracey]] to [[Newton Abbot]] in South [[Devon]], [[England]].<ref name=EB1911/> The Bovey Basin lies along the line of the [[Sticklepath Fault]] and owes its existence to subsidence along this fault. A smaller basin with similar deposits lies further northeast along the fault at [[Petrockstowe]].<ref>{{cite web |title=GeoIndex Onshore |url=https://mapapps2.bgs.ac.uk/geoindex/home.html |publisher=British Geological Survey |access-date=1 September 2024}}</ref>

The deposit is the result of the degradation of the neighbouring [[Dartmoor]] [[granite]];<ref name=EB1911/> it was laid down in river flood plains and lakes during the late [[Eocene]] and [[Oligocene]] epochs. Most of the fossilised plant material in the lignite is from ''[[Sequoia (genus)|Sequoia]] couttsiae''.

The Bovey Formation is the major source in England for [[ball clay]] – a highly plastic fine-grained [[kaolinite|kaolinitic]] sedimentary clay typically used by the [[pottery]] industry. Large excavations have been made for the extraction of these clays. In the past, the lignite or "Bovey Coal" was burned in local [[kiln]]s; steam engines; and workmen's cottages. It was, however, not economical.<ref name=EB1911/>

==References==
{{Reflist|refs=
<ref name=EB1911>{{EB1911|inline=1 |wstitle=Bovey Beds |volume=4 |page=337}} This cites:
*S. Gardiner, ''Q. J. G. S,'' London, xxxv., 1879
*[[William Pengelly|W. Pengelly]] and [[Oswald Heer|O. Heer]], ''Phil. Trans.'', 1862
*[[Clement Reid|C. Reid]], ''Q. J. G. S.'' lii., 1896, p. 490, and ''loc. cit.'' liv., 1898, p 234.
*A. W. Clayden, ''The History of Devonshire Scenery'' (London, 1906), pp. 159-168</ref>
}}

[[Category:Lithostratigraphy of England]]
[[Category:Geology of Devon]]
[[Category:Oligocene geology]]