Wellacre Quarry facts for kids
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
| Area of Search | Gloucestershire |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 52°01′54″N 1°44′18″W / 52.031569°N 1.738308°W |
| Interest | Geological |
| Area | 12.3 hectare |
| Notification | 1974 |
Wellacre Quarry is a very special place in Gloucestershire, England. It covers 12.3 hectares, which is about the size of 20 football fields! This site is important because of its unique rocks and how they were formed. It was officially recognized as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in 1974. This means it's a protected area because of its rare wildlife or geology.
Wellacre Quarry is also part of the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. This is a special area known for its beautiful landscapes. The quarry was once called Blockley Station Brickworks. Today, it is also listed as a Key Wildlife Site (KWS) and a Regionally Important Geological Site (RIGS). These titles show how important the site is for both nature and understanding Earth's history.
Contents
Amazing Rocks and Fossils
Wellacre Quarry is famous for showing some of the best examples of rocks from the Lower Jurassic period in Britain. This period was millions of years ago! Specifically, it shows a part of the Middle Lias rock layers called the Luridum Subzone.
What Makes These Rocks Special?
In most other places in Britain, this rock layer is thin or incomplete. But at Wellacre Quarry, it is very thick. This means scientists can study it much better here. The rocks are also full of fossils, which are the remains of ancient life.
Discovering Ancient Creatures
The rocks at Wellacre Quarry contain many different kinds of fossils. One important group found here are ammonites. These were ancient sea creatures with spiral shells, a bit like snails, but they are related to modern-day squid and octopuses.
Scientists have studied the ammonite fossils from this quarry. Their research has helped us learn a lot about how ammonites changed and developed over millions of years. It's like a window into the past!
Protecting This Special Place
Wellacre Quarry is still an active quarry today. This means that new rock layers are constantly being exposed as work continues. A report from Natural England in 2011 said that the site is still in good condition.
The quarry remains within its original SSSI protected area. Because it's a working quarry, plans will eventually be needed to restore the land. This will help make sure the site remains special for future generations.
