Quarry Steps, Durdham Down

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 51.4696, -2.6160

Also within

Bristol County

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
ST573746 Favourable 0.01 2012-01-06

Geology & landscape

Geological Feature: Fissure · Mining / Industrial: Quarry

Description

Area, 0.006 ha. 0.015 ac. Description Quarry Steps shows a fissure deposit which is in effect the last remnant of an extensively quarried area Durdham Down where the first reptile bearing fissure deposits were discovered early in the 19th Century. Two species of the saurischian dinosaur The codontosaurus, a phytosaur and two species of sphenodontid lizards have been found in fissure fillings of presumed Rhaetian age. A key site in studies of reptilian history and environments during the early Mesozoic of Britain.