Geology of the Manchester district : a brief explanation of the geological map Sheet 85 Manchester

This Sheet Explanation provides a summary
of the geology and applied geology of the
district covered by the geological 1:50 000
Series Sheet 85 Manchester, published as
bedrock, and superficial and simplified
bedrock editions in 2010 and 2011
respectively. Further details of the geology
may be found in the references listed in
the Information sources section and in other
literature cited in the text.
The Manchester district lies almost
entirely within the Metropolitan County
of Greater Manchester, with the extreme
south-western part being in Cheshire.
The area supports a population of over
two million people, concentrated in the
cities of Manchester and Salford, and the
surrounding towns of Ashton-under-Lyne,
Oldham, Bury, Bolton, Trafford, and parts
of Rochdale and Stockport. Between these
areas, the land is used for a diverse range
of activities, including agriculture and
industry; there are also extensive tracts of
public open space and amenity areas.