Kemble Railway Cuttings

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 51.6876, -2.0267

Condition (Natural England)

Unfavourable Declining (5)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
ST976976 Unfavourable Declining 1.54 2022-04-25
ST981986 Unfavourable Declining 0.16 2022-04-25
ST981987 Unfavourable Declining 0.16 2022-04-25
ST982987 Unfavourable Declining 0.16 2022-04-25
ST985972 Unfavourable Declining 1.0 2022-04-25

Geology & landscape

Geological Period: Jurassic

Description

Description These cuttings are of great regional importance in studies of the stratigraphy of Middle Jurassic Bathonian rocks. They provide the type section of the problematic Kemble Beds and exhibit fine examples of basal Forest Marble coral patch reefs and inter reef sediments. Furthermore, they provide a key reference section important in correlating the successions of the Cirencester, Minchinhampton and Bath area. The 'Bradford Fossil Bed' at Tetbury Road Station is of historical and biostratigraphical interest and it has yielded Clydonicera shollandi, the index of a subzone of the Bathonian discus Zone. This site is of national importance for the information it yields on mid Jurassic stratigraphy, palaeontology, and sedimentary environments.