Puddlebrook Quarry facts for kids
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
| Area of Search | Gloucestershire |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 51°51′45″N 2°30′53″W / 51.862604°N 2.514748°W |
| Interest | Geological |
| Area | 0.7 hectare |
| Notification | 1986 |
Puddlebrook Quarry is a special place in Gloucestershire, England. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) because of its unique geology. This means it is protected for its important rocks and fossils. The quarry covers about 0.7 hectares, which is like one and a half football fields. It was officially recognized as an SSSI in 1986.
The quarry is also known as a Key Wildlife Site (KWS). This means it is important for local plants and animals. Puddlebrook Quarry is located north of Mitcheldean Meend Marsh, which is a nature reserve.
Contents
Why Puddlebrook Quarry is Special
Puddlebrook Quarry is on the northern side of the Forest of Dean. It shows off very old rocks from a time called the Upper Carboniferous period. These rocks are part of the Westphalian Series. They help scientists understand how the land changed long ago.
Ancient Rock Layers and What They Tell Us
The rocks here are called conglomerates. These are rocks made of many different sized pieces cemented together. These conglomerates are different from other rocks of the same age in the southern Forest of Dean. This difference shows that the land was pushed up a long time ago. It helps geologists understand how the local coalfield developed.
Fossils and Ancient Plants
Below the conglomerates, there is older rock called Drybrook Sandstone. In this sandstone, scientists have found many fossils of ancient plants. There are ten different kinds of plant fossils visible here. One of the oldest known mosses, called Muscites plumatus, has been found at this site.
Some of the plant species found here are also seen in other ancient rock formations. These include the Lower Brown Limestone and Lower Oil Shales.
Important for Research
Puddlebrook Quarry is very important for studying ancient plants. It helps researchers learn where different types of plants lived long ago. It also gives us clues about how early mosses, lycopods (like clubmosses), and pteridosperms (ancient seed ferns) evolved.
