Portsdown Anticline

The Portsdown Anticline is a north-facing geological fold of Tertiary age affecting rocks in Hampshire, southern England.^[1] This upfold of the local sedimentary rock sequence is paralleled by the Bere Forest/Chichester Syncline (downfold) about 2km to its north and a postulated deep fault to the north again. Further west, this major east-west structure adopts more of a NW - SE alignment.^[2] At the surface the Portsdown Anticline is seen to affect the Chalk rocks of Late Cretaceous age at Ports Down though it is known to also affect the underlying Jurassic strata.^[3]

References

1. Toghill, P. 2000 The Geology of Britain: an introduction Crowood Press, Marlborough Wilts p166
2. Melville, R.V. and Freshney, E.C. 1982 British Regional Geology: The Hampshire Basin and adjoining areas IGS/NERC, London p116 & 121
3. British Geological Survey 1998 Fareham England and Wales sheet 316 Solid and drift geology. 1:50,000 (Keyworth, Nottingham: BGS)