Leighton Road Cutting facts for kids
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
| Area of Search | Somerset |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 51°11′30″N 2°25′40″W / 51.19174°N 2.42781°W |
| Interest | Geological |
| Area | 0.6 hectares (0.0060 km2; 0.0023 sq mi) |
| Notification | 1984 |
Leighton Road Cutting is a very important natural site located in Somerset, England. It's a special area, about the size of a small park (0.6 hectares), that was officially recognized in 1984. This site is known as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) because it helps scientists learn about the Earth's past.
What is Leighton Road Cutting?
Leighton Road Cutting is a place where a road has been cut through the land. This cutting exposes layers of rock that tell a story about millions of years ago. It's found between the villages of East Cranmore and Cloford in Somerset.
A Window into Ancient Times
This site is famous for showing very old limestone rocks. These rocks formed during the early Jurassic period, which was about 200 million years ago! They belong to a group of rocks called the Lower Lias. What makes this spot so special is that these rock layers are still flat and horizontal. This is rare in the Mendip Hills, where rocks are often tilted or broken.
How Geologists Learn from This Site
Before this cutting was discovered, geologists (scientists who study rocks and the Earth) were puzzled. They often found cracks in rocks in the Mendip Hills that were filled with younger materials. These are called "fissure infills." The Leighton Road Cutting helped them understand how these filled cracks were formed. By seeing the original, flat rock layers, geologists could figure out the history of how the land changed over time. It's like finding a missing piece of a giant puzzle about Earth's history.
