Precambrian rocks, some of the oldest in Britain, form the Malvern Hills, which rise steeply above the Severn valley to the east, separated from it by a geological fault line, the East Malvern Fault.

The Severn Valley is underlain by Triassic mudstones. Beyond that the Cotswold Hills, formed of Jurassic limestone.can be seen.

In Precambrian times all the land masses on earth were clustered around the south pole forming the continent of Rodinia.