Sedimentary basins of Britain and Ireland

The sedimentary basins of Britain and Ireland are numerous, occurring beneath both the land surface of these islands and the surrounding seas. Sedimentary basins (not to be confused with drainage basins) have operated in this region over much of geological time from the Precambrian to the present day, typically accepting sediment from neighbouring areas where erosion is taking place, over timescales variously from millions to hundreds of millions of years. They may be referred to simply as basins or else as troughs, grabens or half-grabens, according to their mode of formation and morphology.

## Key to table

* Column 1 indicates the name of the basin. Some variant names are recorded between sources. Sub-basins are noted.
* Column 2 indicates the area (country/sea) in which the basin occurs. Some extend across more than one. Sea areas include the Atlantic Ocean, North Sea, English Channel, Sea of the Hebrides, Irish Sea, Celtic Sea, Bristol Channel, The Minch
* Column 3 indicates the period(s) or epoch(s) during which it was active as a sediment sink. May not be exhaustive.
* Column 4 provides any additional notes
* Column 5 indicates a selection of publications in which references to the basin may be found. See references section for full details of publication.

Sortable table of sedimentary basins  Basin name  | Country/sea  | Period active  | Notes  | Reference/s

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Anglian Basin  |  |  |  |
Anglo-Dutch Basin  | North Sea  |  |  | BGS Tm
Anglo-Welsh Basin  | Wales, England  | Devonian  |  |
Arfon Basin  | Wales  |  |  | B&R36-7
Ayrshire Basin  | Scotland  |  |  |
Badbea Basin  | Scotland  | Devonian  |  | T229
Banff Sub-basin  | North Sea  |  |  | BGS Tm
Blackstones Basin  | Sea of the Hebrides  | Oligocene  |  | T370
Bovey Basin  | England  |  |  | B&R
Bowland Basin  | England  | Carboniferous  |  |
Bratch Graben  | England  | Permian, Triassic  |  |
Bristol Channel Basin  | Bristol Channel, England, Wales  |  |  | BGS Tm
Canna Basin  | Sea of the Hebrides  |  |  | BGS Tm
Cardigan Bay Basin  | Irish Sea  |  |  | BGS Tm
Cardington Sub-basin  |  |  |  | B&R54
Carlisle Basin  | England, Scotland  |  |  | B&R
Celtic Sea Basin  | Celtic Sea  |  |  | B&R
Central Coalfield Basin  | Scotland  | Carboniferous  |  |
Central English Channel Basin  | English Channel  |  |  | BGS Tm
Central Irish Sea Basin  | Irish Sea  |  |  | BGS Tm
Central North Sea Basin  | North Sea  | Carboniferous  |  | T259
Central Pennine Basin  | England  |  |  | B&R
Central Viking Graben  | North Sea  |  |  | BGS Tm
Cheshire Basin  | England  | Permian, Triassic, Jurassic  |  | BGS Tm
Clare Basin  | Atlantic Ocean, Ireland  |  |  | BGS Tm
Cleaver Bank Basin  |  |  |  | B&R390
Cleveland Basin  | England, North Sea  | Carboniferous, Jurassic, Cretaceous  |  | BGS Tm
Clyde Basin  | Scotland  | Permian  |  | T317
Cockburn Basin  | Celtic Sea  |  |  | BGS Tm
Coll Basin  | Sea of the Hebrides  |  |  | BGS Tm
Colonsay Basin  | Sea of the Hebrides  |  |  | BGS Tm
Corrieyairack Basin  | Scotland  | Neoproterozoic  |  | T97,99
Craighead Basin  | Scotland  | Ordovician  |  | T156
Craven Basin  | England  |  |  |
Crediton Trough  | England  |  |  | BGS Tm, B&R290
Cressage Sub-basin  | England  |  |  | B&R54
Cromdale Basin  |  | Neoproterozoic  |  | T97,99
Culm Trough  | England  |  |  |
Dalry Basin  | Scotland  | Carboniferous  |  | T273
Denbigh Trough  | Wales  |  |  | B&R
Donegal Basin  | Atlantic Ocean  |  |  | BGS Tm
Dorset Sub-basin  | England  |  |  | BGS Tm
Douglas Basin  |  |  |  |
Dumfries Basin  | Scotland  | Permian  |  | T316-7
Dutch Bank Basin  | North Sea  |  |  | BGS Tm
East Central Graben  | North Sea  |  |  | BGS Tm
East Fair Isle Basin  | North Sea  |  |  |
East Irish Sea Basin  | Irish Sea  |  |  | BGS Tm
East Orkney Basin  | North Sea  |  |  | BGS Tm
East Shetland Basin  | North Sea  |  |  | BGS Tm
East Solan Basin  |  | Triassic  |  | BGS Tm, T321
Edale Basin  | England  |  | Edale Gulf on BGS Tm  | BGS Tm
Erris Basin  | Atlantic Ocean  |  |  | BGS Tm
Faroe-Shetland Basin  | Atlantic Ocean  | Cretaceous, Palaeogene, Neogene  |  | BGS Tm, T363-4
Fastnet Basin  | Celtic Sea  |  |  | BGS Tm
Fetlar Basin  | North Sea  |  |  | BGS Tm
Fife Basin  |  |  |  |
Fisher Bank Basin  | North Sea  |  |  | BGS Tm
Fishguard-Cardigan Trough  | Wales  |  |  | B&R65
Flannan Trough  | Atlantic Ocean  |  |  | BGS Tm
Flett Sub-basin  | Atlantic Ocean  |  |  | BGS Tm
Flimston Basin  |  |  |  | B&R425
Forth Approaches Basin  | North Sea  |  |  | BGS Tm
Gainsborough Trough  | England  |  |  | BGS Tm
Gramscatho Basin  | England  |  |  | B&R
Haig Fras Basin  | Celtic Sea  |  |  | BGS Tm
Hampshire Basin  | England, English Channel  | Paleogene  |  |
Harrogate Basin  | England  |  |  | B&R
Hatton Basin  |  |  |  |
Hinckley Basin  | England  | Permian, Triassic  |  |
Inner Hebrides Trough  | Scotland  |  |  |
Inner Moray Firth Basin  | Moray Firth  |  |  | BGS Tm
Irish Sea Basin  | Irish Sea  |  |  | B&R464
Isle of Wight Basin  | England  |  |  | B&R318
Kincardine Basin  | Scotland  | Carboniferous  |  | T274
Kish Bank Basin  | Irish Sea  |  |  | BGS Tm
Knowle Basin  | England  | Permian, Triassic  |  |
Lake District Basin  | England  |  |  |
Lakesman Basin  | England, Irish Sea  |  |  | B&R
Leinster-Lakesman Basin  | England, Ireland, Irish Sea  |  |  | B&R26-8
Lancaster Fells Basin  | England  |  |  |
Leinster Basin  | Ireland  |  |  |
Leven Basin  | Scotland  | Carboniferous  |  | T287
Little Minch Trough  | The Minch  | Carboniferous, Permian, Triassic  |  | BGS Tm, T258
Loch Indaal Basin  | Scotland  | Permian, Triassic  |  | BGS Tm, T318
Lochmaben Basin  | Scotland  | Permian  |  | T316-7
London Basin  | England  | Paleogene  |  |
Looe Basin  | England  |  |  | B&R248
Magnus Half-graben  | Atlantic Ocean  |  |  | BGS Tm
Magnus Trough  | Atlantic Ocean  |  |  | BGS Tm
Malin Basin  | Sea of the Hebrides  |  |  | BGS Tm
Mauchline Basin  | Scotland  | Permian  |  | T317
Mell Fell Trough  | England  |  |  | B&R171
Melville Basin  | Celtic Sea  |  |  | BGS Tm
Midland Valley Graben / Midland Valley Basin  | Scotland  |  |  | BGS Tm
Midlothian Basin  | Scotland  |  |  |
Moffat Basin  | Scotland  | Permian  |  | T316-7
Montgomery Trough  | Wales, England  |  |  | B&R101
Muirkirk Basin  |  |  |  |
Munster Basin  | Ireland  |  |  | BGS Tm
Needwood Basin  | England  | Permian, Triassic  |  |
North Celtic Sea Basin  | Celtic Sea  |  |  | BGS Tm
North Channel Basin / Portpatrick Basin  | Irish Sea  | Permian  |  | BGS Tm, T317
North Lewis Basin  | Atlantic Ocean  |  |  | BGS Tm
North Minch Basin  | The Minch  |  |  | BGS Tm
Northern Rockall Trough  | Atlantic Ocean  |  |  |
North Rona Basin  | Atlantic Ocean  |  |  | BGS Tm
North Sea Basin  | North Sea  | Cretaceous, Palaeogene, Neogene  |  | BGS Tm, T363-4
North Staffordshire Basin  | England  |  |  |
Northumberland-Solway Basin  | England, Scotland, Irish Sea  |  |  |
Northumberland Trough  | England, North Sea  | Carboniferous  |  | BGS Tm
North Viking Graben  | North Sea  |  |  | BGS Tm
Oldhamstocks Basin / Oldhamstocks-Dunbar Basin  | Scotland  | Carboniferous  |  | T253,265
Orcadian Basin  | Scotland  | Devonian  |  |
Papa Basin  | Atlantic Ocean  |  |  | BGS Tm
Peel Basin  | Irish Sea  |  |  | BGS Tm
Pennine Basin  | England  |  |  | B&R
Petrockstow Basin  | England  |  |  | B&R425,427
Pewsey Sub-basin  | England  |  |  | BGS Tm
Plymouth Bay Basin  | English Channel  |  |  | BGS Tm
Porcupine Trough, Porcupine Basin  | Atlantic Ocean  | Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous, Cenozoic  |  | BGS Tm, T338
Portland-Wight Basin / Sub-basin  | English Channel  |  |  | BGS Tm
Rathlin Trough  | Northern Ireland, Malin Sea  | Triassic  |  | BGS Tm, T318
Rhynie Basin  | Scotland  | Devonian  | see Rhynie Chert  | BGS Tm, T226-7
Rockall Basin / Rockall Trough  | Atlantic Ocean  |  |  | BGS Tm
St George's Channel Basin  | Irish Sea  |  |  | BGS Tm
St Mary's Basin  | English Channel  |  |  | BGS Tm
Sandbach-Knutsford Sub-basin  | England  | Permian, Triassic  |  |
Sandwick Basin  | Atlantic Ocean  |  |  | BGS Tm
Scarvister Sub-basin  | Atlantic Ocean  |  |  | BGS Tm
Sea of the Hebrides Trough  | Sea of the Hebrides  |  |  | BGS Tm
Severn Coal Basin  | England  |  |  | B&R221
Shelve Sub-basin  | England  |  |  | B&R
Slyne Trough / Slyne-Erris Trough | Atlantic Ocean  | Jurassic  |  | BGS Tm, T338
Sole Pit Trough  | North Sea  |  |  | BGS Tm
Solway Basin / Solway Firth  | Irish Sea  | Permian, Triassic  |  | BGS Tm, T317
South Celtic Sea Basin  | Celtic Sea  |  |  | BGS Tm
South Devon Basin  | England  |  |  | B&R
South Wales Basin  | Wales  |  |  | B&R
South West Arran Trough  | Scotland  | Permian  |  | T316
South West England Half-graben  | England  |  |  | B&R292
Stafford Basin  | England  | Permian, Triassic  |  |
Stainmore Trough / Stainmore Basin  | England  |  |  | BGS Tm
Stanton Trough  | Sea of the Hebrides  |  |  | BGS Tm
Stirling-Clackmannan Basin  | Scotland  |  |  |
Stranraer Basin  | Scotland  | Permian  |  | T317
Strathtummel Basin  | Scotland  | Neoproterozoic  |  | T99
Thornhill Basin  | Scotland  | Permian  |  | T316-7
Tiverton Trough  | England  |  |  | B&R290
Torridonian Basin  | Scotland, The Minch  | Proterozoic  |  | BGS Tm, T71
Turriff Basin  | Scotland  | Devonian  |  | T216,228
Tweed Basin  | North Sea  | Carboniferous  |  | BGS Tm, T265
Ulster Basin  | Northern Ireland  |  |  | BGS Tm
Unst Basin  | North Sea  |  | two arms; NW and S  | BGS Tm
Usk Sub-basin  | Wales  |  |  | B&R
Vale of Clwyd  | Wales  |  |  |
Vale of Eden Basin  | England  |  |  | B&R
Weald Basin | England  |  |  |
Weald Sub-basin  | England  |  |  | BGS Tm
Welsh Basin  | Wales  |  |  | B&R
Wem-Audlem Sub-basin  | England  | Permian, Triassic, Jurassic  |  |
Wessex Basin  | England  |  |  | BGS Tm
West Central Graben  | North Sea  |  |  | BGS Tm
West Fair Isle Basin  | North Sea  | Devonian  |  | BGS Tm, T240
West Flannan Basin  | Atlantic Ocean  |  |  | BGS Tm
West Lewis Basin  | Atlantic Ocean  | Jurassic  |  | BGS Tm, T341
West Lothian Basin  | Scotland  | Carboniferous  |  | T262,264
West Orkney Basin Complex  | Atlantic Ocean  |  |  | BGS Tm
West Shetland Basin  | Atlantic Ocean  | Devonian  |  | BGS Tm, T239
Western Approaches Trough  | English Channel  |  |  | BGS Tm
Widmerpool Gulf  | England  |  |  | BGS Tm,B&R
Widmerpool Half-graben  | England  |  |  | B&R196
Widnes Basin  | England  |  |  |
Witch Ground Graben  | North Sea  |  |  | BGS Tm
Woolhope Basin  | England  |  |  | B&R
Worcester Graben / Worcester Basin  | England  | Permian, Triassic  |  | B&R

## See also

* Geological structure of Great Britain
* Gravity anomalies of Britain and Ireland

## References

* BGS Tm = BGS 1996 Tectonic map of Britain, Ireland and adjacent areas, Pharaoh T.C., Morris J.H., Long C.B., Ryan P.D. (compilers) 1:1,500,000 (Keyworth, Nottingham, British Geological Survey) ISBN 0751831298
* Txxx = Trewin, N.H. (editor) 2002 The Geology of Scotland 4th edition The Geological Society, London ISBN 1862391262 (where xxx = page number)
* B&Rxxx = Brenchley, P.J & Rawson, P.F. (editors) 2006 The Geology of England and Wales 2nd edition, The Geological Society, London ISBN 978-1862391994 (where xxx = page number)

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