Blisworth Rectory Farm Quarry
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Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP716530 | — | Unfavourable Declining | 1.04 | 2023-05-24 |
Geology & landscape
Geological Period: Jurassic · Rock Type: Limestone
Description
Area, 1.1 hectares 2.7 ac Description This well known site exposes one of the most interesting White Limestone Formation Bathonian sections in the English Midlands. The White Limestone is of subcontractus /morrisi Zone to hodsoni Zone age, with basal Forest Marole of slightly younger age, orbis or discus Zone exposed higher in the section. The White Limestone is of both sedimentological and palaeontological interest. Fossil brachiopods, corals and gastropods are common in certain beds, associated with diverse bivalve faunas and frequent echinoids; nautiloids, vertebrate teeth and trace fossils also occur in the formation. The site shows an association of micrites very fine grained limestones, containing lenses and thin beds of oolitic and bioclastic sand, with cross bedded oolitic and bioclastic limestones as well as bioturbated burrowed shelly micrites containing diverse faunas. This facies association is typical of much of the White Limestone of Northamptonshire and this is therefore an important site in our understanding of Middle Jurassic stratigraphy in southern England.