Teffont Evias Quarry / Lane Cutting
Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ST989310 | — | Unfavourable Declining | 1.07 | 2023-01-18 |
| ST993309 | — | Unfavourable Declining | 0.53 | 2023-01-18 |
Geology & landscape
Mining / Industrial: Quarry · Geological Period: Cretaceous
Description
Area, 3.6 ha. 8.9 ac. Description The Purbecks of the Vale of Wardour provided much material in the last century for the first major study of British fossil insects, by P B Brodie. The majority of the former exposures are now gone; at present the best collecting site and therefore a key one in an historic area for palaeoentomological studies, is Teffont Evias Lane Cutting in the Middle Purbeck Beds. Insects are not common, but at least four orders are represented. The fossils occur in hard grey limestones which are apparently a continuation of the Lias Beds known to have been worked in Teffont Evias Quarry, which yielded much material previously. This latter affords one of the richest late Cretaceous palaeontological localities in southern England. Its mid Purbeck section has yielded numerous specimens of vertebrates and invertebrates, notably fish, crocodilians and insects. These occurrences, together with the recorded section in the pit through the Lias up to the Cinder Bed, make this one of the most important Purbeck Bed localities outside Dorset.