Wingate Quarry

Wingate Quarry
Site of Special Scientific Interest
Location	MAGiC MaP
Nearest town	Ferryhill, County Durham Peterlee, County Durham
Coordinates	54°43′54″N1°25′17″W / 54.73167°N 1.42139°W / 54.73167; -1.42139
Area	23.35 ha (57.7 acres)
Established	1984
Governing body	Natural England
Website	Wingate Quarry

Wingate Quarry is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in the County Durham district of east County Durham, England. ^[1] Part of the site is also a Local Nature Reserve ^[2] It is a disused quarry located just south of the village of Wheatley Hill.

Frog Orchid, Coeloglossum viride

The quarry was worked for Magnesian Limestone until the 1930s, when it closed. Since then a large and varied grassland has developed on the site. Magnesian limestone grassland is nationally scarce, with this site accounting for close to 8 per cent of the national total. As well as species that are characteristic of this vegetation type, there are also two orchids, fragrant orchid, Gymnadenia conopsea , and frog orchid, Coeloglossum viride , both of which are uncommon in County Durham. ^[1]

Land ownership

All land within Wingate Quarry SSSI is owned by the local authority. ^[3]

References

1. "Wingate Quarry : Reasons for SSSI status" (PDF). Natural England. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
2. "Wingate Quarry : Local Nature Reserve". Natural England. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
3. "Written questions and answers - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament". questions-statements.parliament.uk. Retrieved 31 December 2025.