Devon County Geological Site
Site reference no. SY08NW1
Name: Uphams Planation
District: East Devon
Parish: Woodbury
National grid ref: 042863-043868
OS sheets: 1:50k 192 1:25k 1330 1:10k SY08NW GS 1:50k 325
GridRef
x
y
Lat
Long
SY041866
304100
86600
50.671139
-3.3584658
Locality description (address): Firebreak and track west of Uphams Plantation, Woodbury Common.
Nature of site: Firebreak along the side of the plantation and a parallel track to the west.
Geological / geomorphological features:
Exposed deflation surface which marks the junction of the Budleigh Salterton Pebble Beds and the overlying Otter
Sandstone. Ventifacts (dreikanters etc., pebbles abraded and faceted by wind-blown sand) are sparsely scattered
among the normal cobble and pebbles where they have been brought to the surface by the ploughing of the fire break.
Reasons for registration as a Regionally Important Geological / Geomorphological Site:
The deflation surface with ventifacts at the top of the Budleigh Salteron Pebble Beds is now only exposed in the cliffs
west of Budleigh where it is relatively inaccessible and in Beggars Roost Quarry, Rockbeare, where access is
difficult, and where the exposure may be lost through continued industrial use. Occurences of ventifacts are quite rare
in the geological succession in the British Isles.
Site sensitivity: Continued collecting of ventifacts will eventually reduce the value of the site
Safety: Safe for all
Interest groups:
Schools.
Years 5-11: Years 12-16: Years 17-18. University. Undergraduate - Research
Professional geologists - Amateur geologists - General public.
Access and Parking: Public access along trackway from the car park on the Woodbury - Otterton Road ( shown on
the OS 1:50,000 map) south of Uphams Plantation.
Date of assessment (V = visited) :
V
8th August 1996
R T Taylor
Site owner :
Other comments: The site lies within the Woodbury Common SSSI. Continued collecting of ventifacts will
eventually reduce the value of the site. Eventually reploughing of the firebreak along the side of the plantation might
be necessary to bring further examples to the surface.
References:
LEONARD, A.J., MOORE,A.G. and SELWOOD, E.B. 1982. Ventifacts from a deflation surface marking the top of the
Budleigh Salterton Pebble Beds, East Devon. Proceedings of the Ussher Society,Vol.5, pp.333-339.
EDWARDS, R.A. and SMITH, S.A., 1989. Budleigh Salterton Pebble Beds and Otter Sandstone Boundary in East
Devon. British Geological Survey Technical Report. WA/89/97. British Geological Survey, Exeter.