How U-Pb detrital monazite ages contribute to the interpretation of the Pennine Basin infill

New U-Pb ages on detrital monazite from the Carboniferous of central Englan d show a clear difference between populations from northerly and southeaste rly derived sandstones. The northern source was responsible for most of the detritus that entered the basin during Namurian times and is dominated by monazites of Scandian age with normally distributed U-235/Pb-207 ages avera ging 420 +/- 7 Ma (2 sigma). One older grain gives a Proterozoic age of 204 0 +/- 1.4 Ma (2 sigma). The data suggest a source region within the Scandia n orogen. Southeasterly derived sediments are more heterogeneous and show a range of Variscan, Acadian, Ordovician and Sveconorwegian ages. Variscan u plifting of terranes of central Europe would provide a suitable source for this assemblage.