The Warwickshire Geological Conservation Group (WGCG) is pleased to announce a talk on "The NW Highlands controversy: Geology, geologists and social climbing in Victorian times" to be given by Dr Peter Gutteridge, a local professional geologist.

The NW Highlands of Scotland probably has the best scenery and geology in the world. You can find the oldest rocks in the British Isles, the first evidence of life, ancient landscapes carved out by preCambrian rivers and beautifully exposed Lower Palaeozoic clastic and carbonate sediments. These all form part of a major fold and thrust belt on which the metamorphosed Moine schists were emplaced.

However, geologist Roderick Impy Murchison saw this as a conformable succession. It is worth asking the question, why did Victorian geologists so completely miss evidence that is so obvious to geologists today? The answers lie in the state of geological science at the time, geopolitics and social climbing. Resolution of the Moine thrust controversy was a turning point in the history of geology gave us the foundations of the science of geology as we now know it.

Doors open at 7pm, talk begins at 7:30 pm. Free for members and students, £2 for none members (pay on the door). Booking not required. Ample fee parking.

For those unable to attend this event we will attempt to broadcast it via zoom live on the night.

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwkc-ygrTosHN1ORd5Zkt_eWbPyrTqnUoEm