Wellacre Quarry

Wellacre Quarry
Site of Special Scientific Interest
Location within Gloucestershire
Area of Search	Gloucestershire
Grid reference	SP180370
Coordinates	52°01′54″N 1°44′18″W / 52.031569°N 1.738308°W / 52.031569; -1.738308Coordinates: 52°01′54″N 1°44′18″W / 52.031569°N 1.738308°W / 52.031569; -1.738308
Interest	Geological
Area	12.3 hectare
Notification	1974
Natural England website

Wellacre Quarry (grid reference SP180370) is a 12.3 hectare geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1974. It is within the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the site was formerly known as Blockley Station Brickworks.^[1]^[2] The site is listed in the 'Cotswold District' Local Plan 2001-2011 (on line) as a Key Wildlife Site (KWS) and a Regionally Important Geological Site (RIGS).^[3]^[4]

Geology

The site is stated as providing the best exposures in Britain of part of the Lower Jurassic, Middle Lias rock succession. This is the subdivision called Luridum Subzone. In other places in Britain this subzone is thin and incomplete, but at Wellacre Quarry it is thick, richly fossiliferous, and there is full research documentation available.^[1]

The strata contain an abundant fossil fauna. This includes an important suite of ammonites. Specimens from this site have been the subject of research and have provided insight into the evolution and shape of ammonites.^[1]

Conservation

A Natural England report, published in August 2011 (assessment date), states that the conditions of the site remain favourable. Wellacre remains a working quarry and exposures are being created constantly. The quarry remains in the original SSSI boundary and is deep. Restoration plans will eventually be needed.^[5]

References

Sources

External links

Natural England (SSSI information)

Geological Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire

Summarised data for all sites (biological and geological)

Alderton Hill Quarry Bull Cross, The Frith and Juniper Hill Campden Tunnel Gravel Pit Cleeve Common Coaley Wood Quarries Crickley Hill and Barrow Wake Easter Park Farm Quarry Edgehills Quarry Foss Cross Quarry Garden Cliff Hampen Railway Cutting Haresfield Beacon Harford Railway Cutting Hobbs Quarry Hornsleasow Quarry Huntsman's Quarry Jackdaw Quarry Kemble Railway Cuttings Knap House Quarry, Birdlip Land Grove Quarry, Mitcheldean Leckhampton Hill and Charlton Kings Common Longhope Hill Lower Woods Lower Wye Gorge Lydney Cliff May Hill Meezy Hurst Minchinhampton Common New Park Quarry Nibley Knoll Notgrove Railway Cutting Oakenhill Railway Cutting Puddlebrook Quarry River Wye Robin's Wood Hill Quarry Rodborough Common Salmonsbury Meadows Scully Grove Quarry Severn Estuary Slade Brook Stenders Quarry Stony Furlong Railway Cutting Swift's Hill Upper Severn Estuary The Malvern Hills Purton Passage Selsley Common Upper Wye Gorge Veizey's Quarry Wainlode Cliff Wellacre Quarry Wood Green Quarry & Railway Cutting Wotton Hill

Neighbouring areas Avon Hereford and Worcester Oxfordshire Wiltshire

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