Kersdown Quarry
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Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SS963221 | — | Favourable | 3.14 | 2012-03-12 |
| SS963222 | — | Favourable | 5.04 | 2012-03-14 |
Geology & landscape
Mining / Industrial: Quarry · Geological Period: Carboniferous · Rock Type: Chert, Limestone
Description
Kersdown Quarry SSSI Description This quarry is the type locality for the Kersdown Chert Member, and it also illustrates the transition from that unit into the lithologically different Bailey’s Member above: both being sub-divisions of the Bampton Formation. This is an important reference section for the Bampton Limestone Formation in an area where many former exposures have been lost through quarrying and reclamation. Sedimentological and palaeontological information from Kersdown provides a basis for recognising Lower Carboniferous turbidite sedimentation in mid-Devon, whilst the major plunging anticlinal fold seen here is representative of the structural style in this area. A key site demonstrating typical lithologies in the local Dinantian sedimentary succession, and their contained faunas.