Hulme Quarry

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 52.9982, -2.1079

Also within

Staffordshire County

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (2)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
SJ927444 Favourable 28.15 2022-11-01
SJ930448 Favourable 12.6 2022-11-01

Geology & landscape

Mining / Industrial: Quarry · Geological Period: Triassic · Rock Type: Conglomerate, Sandstone

Landscape processes: Fluvial

Description

Area, 40.83 ha. 100.39 ac. Description Hulme Quarry, located 5 kilometres east of the centre of Stoke on Trent within Park Hall Country Park, provides magnificent exposures of the lower Triassic Bunter Pebble Beds Cannock Chase Formation of the Sherwood Sandstone Group. The Pebble Beds are texturally mature pebble / cobble conglomerates, arranged in poorly sorted horizontal sheets on better sorted cross bedded sets. Thick sheets of conglomerate are associated with interbedded sandstones, in coarsening upwards units. Rapid lateral facies changes from conglomerate to sandstone can also be seen. Comparison with recent fluvial river sediments, indicates that the Bunter Pebble Beds were-deposited by substantial, braided streams carrying much coarse grained material. This is, therefore, an important site for the study of the environmental conditions which occurred during the Triassic Period.

Plant communities

A9 — Fast flowing river and stream, Marginal and inundation, Pond ditch and canal, Sluggish river and stream

Potamogeton natans community

Schoenoplectus lacustris, Juncus bulbosus, Sparganium angustifolium, Sparganium erectum, Sparganium minimum, Alisma plantago-aquatica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Lemna trisulca, Nymphaea alba, Callitriche platycarpa, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus trichophyllus, Glyceria fluitans, Chara subspinosa

A14 — Fast flowing river and stream

Myriophyllum alterniflorum community

Isolepis fluitans, Juncus bulbosus, Fontinalis antipyretica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton filiformis, Potamogeton gramineus, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus peltatus, Chara spp., Nitella hyalina

A17 — Chalk river and stream, Fast flowing river and stream

Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans community

Berula erecta, Nasturtium officinale, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Veronica beccabunga, Polygonum amphibium, Polygonum hydropiper, Potamogeton crispus, Potamogeton pectinatus, Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans

A18 — Fast flowing river and stream

Ranunculus fluitans community

Fontinalis antipyretica, Fontinalis squamosa var. curnowii, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Myriophyllum spicatum, Elodea canadensis, Mentha aquatica, Lemna gibba, Lemna minor, Potamogeton perfoliatus, Ranunculus fluitans, Glyceria fluitans, Phalaris arundinacea