Ketton Quarries facts for kids
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
 |
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| Area of Search | Rutland |
|---|---|
| Interest | Biological Geological |
| Area | 115.6 hectares |
| Notification | 1986 |
| Location map | Magic Map |
Ketton Quarries is a special place in Rutland, east of Ketton. It covers about 115.6 hectares, which is like 285 football fields! This area is important for both its plants and animals (biological) and its rocks and landforms (geological). It's officially known as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, or SSSI for short.
Part of Ketton Quarries, about 27.5 hectares, is looked after by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. This trust helps protect the natural environment.
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What Makes Ketton Quarries Special?
Ketton Quarries is a very important site for understanding Earth's history. It shows rocks from the middle Jurassic period, which was about 167 million years ago! This time is called the Bathonian age.
A Window to the Past: Jurassic Rocks
The rocks here are like an open book, showing scientists how the Earth looked millions of years ago. Natural England, a group that protects nature, says this site is "critical" for studying rocks from the Bathonian age in southern Britain. Scientists can learn about the different layers of rock and how they were formed.
Home to Unique Wildlife
The older parts of the quarries, where digging has stopped, have become amazing natural habitats. The old piles of rock and soil are now home to one of the biggest areas of semi-natural limestone grassland and scrub in Rutland. This means many special plants and animals that like limestone environments can live here.
Visiting Ketton Quarries
You can visit the Ketton Quarry nature reserve from Pit Lane. It's a great place to explore nature. However, some parts of Ketton Quarries are still active working quarries. These areas are not open to the public for safety reasons.
