Western Mendip - Sustainable Aggregates

More documents

Recommendations

Info

to Churchill found in the Triassic rocks and the underlying Carboniferous Limestone. Evidence for old ochre workings can be seen on the northern flank of Sandford Hill [69]. The footpath here passes many small pits, spoil heaps, old trenches and adits. Specimens of ochre and quartz crystals, or ‘Bristol Diamonds’ can be found on the old spoil heaps. Near the dry-ski slope is the entrance to Sandford Levvy [70]. This 600 m-long adit was driven in 1830 by miners seeking lead but failed to find any significant ore. Higher up the hillside is the entrance to Mangle Hole, a series of shafts which intercepts the underground river feeding the springs in Banwell. At the western end of Banwell Hill, located in the grounds of a large private house are two caves, Banwell Bone Cave and Banwell Stalactite Cave [71], which have a fascinating history stretching back to the last glacial period. Miners broke into Banwell Stalactite Cave in 1757, but the entrance collapsed and the cave was largely forgotten about. In an attempt to reopen the Stalactite Cave to visitors, the local vicar, the Rev. Francis Randolph, employed two miners to find the cave. This they did but, in September 1824, they also inadvertently broke into the Bone Cave. There they found a large chamber almost filled with sediment and containing many thousands of bones. The fauna, dating from the early part of the last glaciation about 80 000 years ago, includes many cold-climate species such as bison, reindeer, wolf, brown bear, wolverine and 100 50 South MMG Cross-section of Sandford Hill. Sandford Quarry Stacked bones in Banwell Bone Cave. © John Chapman. Old ochre workings 0 m POB DOL Avon Grp BRL Bo CDL OHL Qtz Sst CM ST 424 584 Vertical Exaggeration x 4 ST 424 596 North 45
46 Steeply dipping limestone, Sandford Quarry. ODm 200 180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 -20 -40 PORTISHEAD FORMATION AVON GROUP BLACK ROCK LIMESTONE North flank: Banwell arctic fox. The caves quickly became famous as a tourist attraction. The Bishop of Bath and Wells, George Henry Law, who owned the land, took the bones as wonderful evidence for Noah’s Flood. With the help of William Beard who managed the caves, he subsequently built the Banwell Tower to remind visitors of the follies of the pagan world! Both caves are on private land but are occasionally open to the public. At the eastern end of Sandford Hill is the disused Sandford Quarry [72]. In 1884, the quarry was a few small pits on the south side of the hill. By 1931, the quarry had expanded considerably into the western side of the hill and was connected to the Cheddar Valley Railway. The quarry was closed in the 1990s as part of an arrangement to extend Whatley Quarry near Frome and parts of the site are now used for climbing and abseiling. Like many other quarries on <strong>Mendip</strong>, it is developed primarily in the Burrington Oolite Limestone, a very pure limestone. The rock here dips to the north at over 70°, giving rise to very steeply sloping bedding plane slabs on the south side of the quarry. At the east end of Sandford Hill, the Carboniferous Limestone is well exposed in an old quarry adjacent to the A38 at Churchill Rocks [73]. The graffiti-covered slabs of thickly bedded limestone belong to the Burrington Oolite Formation. On closer inspection, it will be apparent South North ST 444 587 ST 444 606 Water- works tunnel 72º Vertical strata A 38 CHERT Thrust fault DOLOMITE 38º VALLEY FLOOR BURRINGTON OOLITE Cross-section through the Churchill nappe. 52º Churchill Batch OXWICH HEAD LIMESTONE CLIFTON DOWN “CHINASTONE” CLIFTON DOWN LIMESTONE Overturned strata ‘Churchill rocks’ Inclined slab with graffiti in old quarry Pub QUARTZITIC SST Windmill Hill Sea level ? COAL MEASURES TRIASSIC DOLOMITIC CONGLOMERATE MERCIA MUDSTONE
Page 1 and 2: A w a l k e r s ’ g u i d e t o t
Page 3 and 4: 2 Contents Introduction 3 Rocks of
Page 5 and 6: 4 Rocks 0 1.8 24 65 142 205 248 290
Page 7 and 8: © David Roche Geoconsulting 6 Youn
Page 9 and 10: 8 Rocks of Mendip Quartzitic Sandst
Page 11 and 12: 10 The Ice Age The ‘Ice Age’, w
Page 13 and 14: 12 A galena vein, Star Mine, Shipha
Page 15 and 16: 14 Cheddar Ample parking is availab
Page 17 and 18: 16 Cheddar Gorge North South South-
Page 19 and 20: 18 Cheddar Cheddar Gorge as it is t
Page 21 and 22: 20 Charterhouse Limited parking is
Page 23 and 24: 22 Alpine penny cress. © Sharon Pi
Page 25 and 26: 24 Charterhouse area underlying Car
Page 27 and 28: 26 Blackdown Parking is available a
Page 29 and 30: 28 Blackdown 265m 260m Tyning’s F
Page 31 and 32: 30 Burrington Ample car parking is
Page 33 and 34: 32 The East Twin Brook, flowing off
Page 35 and 36: 34 Burrington Burrington Oolite, th
Page 37 and 38: 36 Shipham and Rowberrow A stone wa
Page 39 and 40: 38 Rowberrow Bottom. The stream her
Page 41 and 42: 40 South flank: Crook Peak Parking
Page 43 and 44: 42 Many small ferns and plants such
Page 45: 44 Limited parking is available at
Page 49 and 50: 48 The Parking is available on Prid
Page 51 and 52: 50 N PRIDDY Bowery Corner Swallet +
Page 53 and 54: 52 Parking is available at Deer Lea
Page 55 and 56: 54 Hyena, which once roamed across
Page 57 and 58: 56 South flank: Draycott Cross Swal
Page 59 and 60: 58 Wookey Parking is available at b
Page 61 and 62: 60 Wookey Hole and Ebbor Gorge itse
Page 63 and 64: 62 Wells The area is well served by
Page 65 and 66: 64 one of the group of springs that
Page 67 and 68: 66 Parking is available at Harptree
Page 69 and 70: 68 Geological glossary Alluvial fan
Page 71 and 72: 70 Dipping Burrington Oolite expose
Page 73 and 74: 72 Further Priddy Mineries. Humps m
Page 75 and 76: 74 Further Common vetch. © Sharon
Page 77 and 78: 76 Dulcote fountain, created in 186
Page 79: This geological map is based on the

Western Mendip - Sustainable Aggregates

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?