Shellingford Crossroads Quarry

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 51.6455, -1.5296

Also within

Oxfordshire County

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
SU326941 Favourable 2.64 2013-06-18

Geology & landscape

Rock Type: Limestone

Description

Area, 2.6 hectares 6.4 ac Description An outstanding extensive section in Corrallian rocks of Oxfordian age spanning the Highworth Grit, Third Trigonia Bed, Urchin Marls and Coral Rag. The latter unit is well known for its abundant in situ coral growths and reef dwelling bivalves, but the site is equally important for its illustration of the complexities of Oxfordian stratigraphy in the Oxford area and in showing the best available section through the Highworth Grit Coral Rag rock interval. The pebble bed immediately above the Grit marks a significant and widespread regional non sequence pre dating a period of oolitic limestone deposition which can be correlated with the Osmington Oolite of Dorset.