Land Grove Quarry, Mitcheldean facts for kids
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
| Area of Search | Gloucestershire |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 51°51′52″N 2°28′37″W / 51.864561°N 2.477012°W |
| Interest | Geological |
| Area | 3.8 hectare |
| Notification | 1974 |
Land Grove Quarry, Mitcheldean is a special place in Gloucestershire, England. It's a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) because of its amazing geology. This means it's protected for its important rocks and fossils.
The site covers about 3.8 hectares, which is like 7 football fields. It was officially recognized as an SSSI in 1974. Even though it's a working quarry, only a small amount of rock is taken out. This helps keep the rock faces open, which is great for scientists to study!
Contents
Where is Land Grove Quarry?
This quarry is located on the northern edge of the Forest of Dean. It's a fantastic spot to see very old rocks. These rocks are part of something called the Old Red Sandstone.
What are the Brownstones?
The rocks you see here are mostly from the Brownstones group. These rocks formed during the late Lower Devonian period. This was a very long time ago, about 400 million years!
The rocks here show a mix of mud, silt, sand, and even conglomerates. Conglomerates are rocks made of different sized pebbles stuck together. This mix is different from other areas where you might only see sandstone.
Ancient Rivers and Rocks
Scientists believe that the rivers in South Wales were much bigger during the Lower Old Red Sandstone period. This meant more sand and mud were carried and deposited. Over time, these layers turned into the rocks we see today.
Land Grove Quarry shows a unique stage in this process. It helps geologists understand how these ancient rivers changed the landscape.
Why are the Fossils Important?
This quarry is also a very important place for finding fossils. Scientists have found rare fossil fish remains here. These fossils are special because they are not often found in rocks of this age in this part of the world.
The discoveries at Land Grove Quarry help us learn more about ancient life. They also show how different parts of the world were connected millions of years ago. Many scientific papers have been written about the amazing things found here.
