Greenleighton Quarry

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Greenleighton Quarry
Site of Special Scientific Interest
Northumberland UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location within Northumberland
Location Northumberland
Grid reference NZ034920
Coordinates 55°13′20″N1°56′53″W / 55.222216°N 1.9480976°W / 55.222216; -1.9480976
Area31.58 acres (0.1278 km2; 0.04934 sq mi)
Notification 1984

Greenleighton Quarry is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) [1] [2] in Northumberland, England. It is located near the village of Rothley. This protected area is renowned for its Brachiopod fossils and is owned by the National Trust. [3] [4]

The protected area comprises the older of two quarries (excavation occurred in eighteenth and nineteenth centuries). There is a nearby newer quarry outside the protected area that was excavated as recently as 1982. [4]

Details

The strata exposed in Greenleighton Quarry includes sections of the Great Limestone and overlying sediments of the Namurian age, from around 330 million years old. [1]

Fossils from the Brachiopod genus Pleuropugnoides and the Mollusc genus Cravenoceras have been identified from this protected area. [1]

This protected area is a popular starting point for walking hikes. [5]

Related Research Articles

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "SSSI detail". designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk. Retrieved 2024-11-15.
  2. "Protected Planet | Greenleighton Quarry". Protected Planet. Retrieved 2024-11-15.
  3. "Mapping the habitats of England's ten largest institutional landowners". Who owns England?. 2020-10-06. Retrieved 2024-11-15.
  4. 1 2 "Greenleighton moor walk | Northumberland". National Trust. Retrieved 2024-11-15.
  5. "Greenleighton Quarry and Fontburn Reservoir". www.ramblers.org.uk. 2024-05-12. Retrieved 2024-11-15.