Kemble Railway Cuttings facts for kids

Kemble Railway Cuttings is a special place in Gloucestershire, England. It covers about 2.72 hectares, which is roughly the size of five football fields! This area is known as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) because of its unique and important rocks. It became a protected site in 1996 to help keep its amazing geology safe for everyone to learn from.

Why Kemble Railway Cuttings is Important

Kemble Railway Cuttings is a very important spot for scientists who study rocks. It is part of a special list called a Geological Conservation Review (GCR) site. This means it is one of the best places in the southwest of England to learn about the layers of rock from the Middle Jurassic period. The Middle Jurassic was a time long, long ago, when dinosaurs roamed the Earth!

The Kemble Beds

The rocks at Kemble Railway Cuttings are so special that they are known as the "type section" for something called the Kemble Beds. This means these rocks are the best example of what the Kemble Beds look like. Here, you can see great examples of ancient coral reefs, which are like underwater cities made by tiny sea creatures. You can also see the mud and sand that settled between these reefs a very long time ago.

Connecting the Past

The rock layers here help scientists understand how different areas of the country are connected. They are like a puzzle piece that helps match up the rocks found in Cirencester, Minchinhampton, and Bath. This helps scientists create a clearer picture of Earth's history.

The Bradford Fossil Bed

One very interesting part of the site is the Bradford Fossil Bed. It is located near the old Tetbury Road railway station. This bed is important for two main reasons:

• History: It has been studied by geologists for a long time.
• Fossils: It contains special fossils that help scientists figure out the age of the rocks and how life changed over time.