Wath Quarry

Also within

North Yorkshire County Howardian Hills Scenic Area

Condition (Natural England)

Geology & landscape

Mining / Industrial: Quarry

Description

Description Wath Quarry is of importance for the study of the palaeogeography and stratigraphy of the Yorkshire Basin, which remained remarkably stable throughout Corallian times with only one major episode of intraformational folding. The quarry shows the best section anywhere in Yorkshire for the widespread discontinuity that occurs between the Middle Oxfordian massive bedded Malton Oolite, Cardiocerus densiplicatum C. tenuiserratum Zones and the overlying reef carbonates of the Coral Rag C. blakei Subzone. While this section is normally seen as a non sequence or discontinuity in the Yorkshire Basin, here the relationship between these two deposits is one of angular unconformity. The quarry also shows the thickest inland section of the Malton Oolite, whilst the thickness of the Coral Rag, here seen in its broke, detrital patch reef facies, is surpassed only by similar, contemporary carbonates near Oxford. The fauna of the Malton Oolite here includes the diagnostic ammonite Arisphinctes sp., together with the bivalves Gervillia aviculoides, Chlamys sp., Lima sp. and Eopecten sp., whilst in the Coral Rag a rich reef dwelling fauna occurs, with more than thirty invertebrate species recorded. Other Information The site is listed as of national importance in the Geological Conservation Review.