Nunnington Cutting and Quarries
Also within
Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SE645785 | — | Unfavourable Declining | 3.51 | 2022-12-05 |
| SE648787 | — | Favourable | 1.78 | 2024-04-04 |
| SE649787 | — | Favourable | 1.78 | 2024-04-04 |
| SE649789 | — | Favourable | 1.78 | 2024-04-04 |
Geology & landscape
Geological Period: Jurassic
Description
Area, 5.6 hectares 13.8 ac First Notified, 1984 Description Nunnington Cutting and Quarries expose a composite section through the Malton Oolite, Coral Rag and Upper Calcareous Grit. Included among the features demonstrated here are the rich fossil fauna and lateral thickness changes in the Coral Rag, with an assemblage of reef forming Thamnasteria and other corals associated with red algae, molluscs and echinoids. The Upper Calcareous Grit has yielded an ammonite fauna including Amoeboceras nunningtonense for which the site is the type locality and other Amoeboceras which allow correlations with other areas in the late Jurassic Boreal Realm such as Skye and Greenland, this boreal fauna was first recognised in Britain at Nunnington. This is a key stratigraphic locality both for its local lithological and palaeontological significance and for its bearing on intercontinental correlations. Other Information This is a new site identified as of national importance in the Geological Conservation Review.