Robin's Wood Hill Quarry facts for kids
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
View - Top of Robinswood Hill (Robin's Wood Hill)
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| Area of Search | Gloucestershire |
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| Coordinates | 51°49′55″N 2°14′19″W / 51.83202°N 2.238673°W |
| Interest | Geological |
| Area | 1.67 hectare |
| Notification | 1966 |
Robin's Wood Hill Quarry is a special place in Gloucestershire, England. It's about 1.67 hectares big, which is like two football fields! This quarry is known as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) because it has very important rocks and fossils that help us learn about Earth's past. It was first recognized as a special site in 1966. You can find it on Robinswood Hill.
Contents
Exploring Robin's Wood Hill Quarry
This quarry is looked after by Gloucester City Council. It is part of the larger Robinswood Hill Country Park, a great place to visit.
Ancient Rocks and Fossils
The rocks here are very old, from a time called the Lower Jurassic period. This period was about 174 to 201 million years ago! The quarry shows a full section of rock layers from a specific part of the Jurassic period called the Upper Pliensbachian Stage.
Scientists have studied this site for a long time. They have found many different kinds of fossils here. In fact, they have discovered fifty-four different types of fossil molluscs! Molluscs are creatures like snails, clams, and squids. Finding so many helps us understand what life was like millions of years ago.
Learning About Earth's Past
The rocks at Robin's Wood Hill Quarry are different from similar rocks found in other places, like the coast of Dorset. This difference is very important. It helps scientists piece together what the Earth looked like and what the environment was like during the early Jurassic period. It's like finding a missing piece of a giant puzzle about our planet's history.
Protecting the Quarry
Natural England, an organization that helps protect nature, checked the quarry in 2011. They found that some wild goats, which were brought to the area in 2005, are doing a great job. These goats help keep the plants from growing too much, which is important for protecting the special rocks and fossils.
