Age of the peel sandstone group, Isle of Man

An Early Devonian age for the continental, red-bed succession of the Peel Sandstone Group can be defined on the basis of: (1) a derived marine fauna of late Wenlock (Homerian) age, (2) a Scoyenia ichnofacies assemblage (including Beaconites and Diplichnites) characteristic of latest Silurian to Early Devonian (Lower Old ked Sandstone magnafacies) sediments in the British Isles, (3) a microflora of late Lochkovian to Pragian age, (4) a detrital palacomagnetic remanence that pre-dates local, Acadian palaeomagnetic directions and coincides with a prominent, southerly, Late Silurian to Early Devonian excursion in the local apparent polar wander path, and (5) a mid-Devonian palaeomagnetic remanence that overprints (?) Acadian, thrust-related folding. Data presented in this study confirm previous suggestions (Allen and Crowley 1983) that the Peel Sandstone Group represents a rare example of Early Devonian sedimentation preserved on the northern margin of the former Eastern Avalonia microcontinent. Potential correlations and linkages with other Lower Old Red Sandstone successions exposed in the Anglo-Welsh Basin are developed and discussed.