Sequence of grey and red-brown marls and marly claystones, locally with fairly thin intercalations of bituminous shale or thicker incursions of greensands.
Moderately- to fairly deep-marine setting (middle- to outer-neritic), where fines and bioclastic carbonates settled. Bituminous deposits indicate periods of stagnant basin-floor circulation. Occasional thin sand layers were deposited during storms. The presence of abundant glauconite indicates intense winnowing.
Overlies the Vlieland Claystone Formation (in the West Netherlands Basin the De Lier Member of the Vlieland Sandstone Formation). This boundary marks a slight but distinct regional unconformity. In more elevated areas the formation rests unconformably on the Vlieland Sandstone Formation, Niedersachen, Altena or Upper Germanic Trias groups, starting with a basal claystone or greensand bed.
Often unconformable as a consequence of inversion. If not, the Texel Formation overlies the Holland Formation.