Land Grove Quarry, Mitcheldean
Also within
Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SO672185 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 3.86 | 2012-03-27 |
Geology & landscape
Mining / Industrial: Quarry · Geological Period: Devonian · Rock Type: Sandstone
Landscape processes: Fluvial
Description
Description This site shows extensive quarry face exposures in the Brownstones of the Old Red Sandstone late Lower Devonian. The sequence of interbedded muds, silts, sandstones and conglomerates contrasts with the predominantly sandstone sequences higher in the Brownstones and the mud rich sequences of the Red Marls below. In South Wales the size of the rivers appears to have increased during Lower Old Red Sandstone times and the proportion of preserved channel sands in the deposits of this period likewise increased. This quarry contains a sequence which illustrates an intermediate stage in this progression. Several scientific papers have referred to the fluvial sand bodies and soil profiles exposed in this quarry. This site is also geologically important for the fossil fish remains it has yielded which are exceptionally rare in rocks of this age in the Welsh Borders and South Wales area.