Wellacre Quarry

Wellacre Quarry
Site of Special Scientific Interest
	Location within Gloucestershire
Location	Gloucestershire
Grid reference	SP180370
Coordinates	52°01′54″N1°44′18″W / 52.031569°N 1.738308°W Coordinates: 52°01′54″N1°44′18″W / 52.031569°N 1.738308°W
Interest	Geological
Area	12.3 hectare
Notification	1974
	Natural England website

Last updated February 04, 2023

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]

Related Research Articles

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Stenders Quarry is a 2.8-hectare (6.9-acre) biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England, notified in 1966 and renotified in 1990. The site is designated as an SSSI for its important geological features, although there is also a diversity of plants and animals recorded.

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Coaley Wood Quarries is a 4.85-hectare (12.0-acre) geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1974.

Crickley Hill and Barrow Wake is a 56.8-hectare (140-acre) biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1974.

Foss Cross Quarry is a 0.67-hectare (1.7-acre) geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1972. The site is listed in the 'Cotswold District' Local Plan 2001-2011 as a Key Wildlife Site (KWS) and a Regionally Important Geological Site (RIGS).

Hampen Railway Cutting is a 3.9-hectare (9.6-acre) geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1974. The site is listed in the 'Cotswold District' Local Plan 2001-2011 as a Key Wildlife Site (KWS) and Regionally Important Geological Site (RIGS).

Harford Railway Cutting is a 1.2-hectare (3.0-acre) geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1974. The site is listed in the 'Cotswold District' Local Plan 2001-2011 as a Regionally Important Geological Site (RIGS).

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Huntsman's Quarry is a 1.6-hectare (4.0-acre) geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1974. The site is listed in the 'Cotswold District' Local Plan 2001-2011 as a Key Wildlife Site (KWS) and a Regionally Important Geological Site (RIGS).

Kemble Railway Cuttings is a 2.72-hectare (6.7-acre) geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, England, notified in 1996. The site is listed in the Cotswold District Local Plan 2001–2011 as a Regionally Important Geological Site (RIGS).

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Leckhampton Hill and Charlton Kings Common is a 63.8-hectare (158-acre) biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1954. There are five units of assessment.

New Park Quarry is a 1.3-hectare (3.2-acre) geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1987. The site is listed in the 'Cotswold District' Local Plan 2001-2011 as a Regionally Important Geological Site (RIGS).

Notgrove Railway Cutting is a 1.7-hectare (4.2-acre) geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1974. The site is listed in the 'Cotswold District' Local Plan 2001-2011 as a Key Wildlife Site (KWS) and Regionally Important Geological Site (RIGS).

Puddlebrook Quarry is a 0.7-hectare (1.7-acre) geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, near Drybrook notified in 1986. The site is listed in the 'Forest of Dean Local Plan Review' as a Key Wildlife Site (KWS).

Stony Furlong Railway Cutting is a 2.7-hectare (6.7-acre) geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1987. The site is listed in the 'Cotswold District' Local Plan 2001-2011 as a Key Wildlife Site (KWS) and a Regionally Important Geological Site (RIGS).

References

Sources

External links

Natural England (SSSI information)

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[NE_citation-1] 1 2 3 Natural England SSSI information on citation, map and unit detail

[2] Cotswold District Local Plan, Appendix 1, Sites of Special Scientific Interest

[3] Cotswold District Local Plan, Appendix 2, Key Wildlife Sites

[4] Cotswold District Local Plan, Appendix 3, Regionally Important Geological Sites

[5] Natural England unit detail report

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v t e 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 Herefordshire Oxfordshire Wiltshire Worcestershire