Notgrove Railway Cutting
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Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP083208 | — | Unfavourable Declining | 1.71 | 2021-11-15 |
| SP086209 | — | Unfavourable Declining | 1.71 | 2021-11-15 |
Geology & landscape
Geological Period: Jurassic · Rock Type: Limestone
Description
Area, 1.7 ha. 4.2 ac. Description This is a famous geological locality providing excellent exposures of part of the Middle Jurassic, Upper Inferior Oolite. The lowest formation visible in this section is the Notgrove Freestone which is capped by a fine example of a 'hardground', a thin layer of tough limestone formed when environmental changes caused deposition of the limestones to slow down drastically or cease altogether. This is overlain by the Upper Trigonia Grit and above is a twelve metre thick section of the Clypeus Grit. This is the finest and most complete section of the Clypeus Grit in the Cotswolds and forms an ideal reference section. The Clypeus Grit here contains a rich fossil fauna and has been the source of several important ammonite finds. In Jurassic rocks, ammonites are of special significance since they are used to finely subdivide this period of geological history. This is a key research site of national importance for geology.