Wren's Nest
Also within
Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SO935917 | — | Favourable | 12.46 | 2022-11-02 |
| SO936924 | — | Favourable | 11.91 | 2022-11-02 |
| SO938918 | — | Favourable | 9.65 | 2022-11-02 |
Geology & landscape
Geological Period: Silurian · Rock Type: Limestone
Description
Area, 34.1 ha. 84.3 ac. Description This site is of exceptional palaeontological importance particularly for rocks of Wenlockage. This internationally famous locality has yielded both macro and micro fossils of superb preservation, great variety and in great abundance. All museums in the British Isles house excellent material from the Wren’s Nest and many foreign institutions boast collections from here also. The name of Dudley has become synonymous world wide with Wenlock limestone fossils of outstanding quality. They have been discussed and figured in scores of publications from the 18th century onwards and have allowed the recognition of innumerable species new to science, for which this is their type locality. Resting on Upper Quarried Limestone of the Much Wenlock Limestone is the Lower Elton Formation of the Ludlow. This formation has a typical shelly fauna and a well preserved and diverse acritarch microflora. The junction between the Wenlock and the Ludlow strata is seen here, the limestones of the Upper Quarried Limestone grading through passage beds to the Elton Formation. This site affords a rare opportunity to examine post Wenlock Silurian rocks in the West Midlands. One of the most notable geological locations in the British Isles.