Geological Sites | Leeds
| Bradford | Calderdale
| Kirklees | Wakefield
 STATUS:
Local Geological Site
OTHER DESIGNATIONS:
COUNTY: West Yorkshire
DISTRICT: Calderdale
OS GRID REF: SE 080 201
OS 1: 50,000 Landranger Sheet 104 Leeds and Bradford, but note that Stainland
village is
on Sheet 110 Sheffield and Huddersfield
1:25,000 Explorer 288 Bradford and Huddersfield
BGS 1:50,000 Sheet 77 Huddersfield Solid and Drift
FIRST DESIGNATED by West Yorkshire LGS Group in 1996
DATE OF MOST RECENT SURVEY West Yorkshire Geology Trust January 2009
DESIGNATION SHEET UPDATED August 2009
SITE DESCRIPTION
Exposures of Upper Carboniferous Yeadonian Rough Rock and Rough Rock
Flags are
revealed in a series of quarry faces forming a 300m edge north of the
village of Stainland.
The site displays a range of sedimentary features including faulting,
massive to fine
bedding, cross bedding and horizons of coarse quartz. Some sections
illustrate the
resistant qualities of this rock which make it a valuable building
stone, particularly its
grain size, structure and mineralogy.
HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS:
The quarries were standing (which presumably means that they were not
being actively
worked) in 1930, according to the Huddersfield and Halifax memoir
p.199 (reference
below), producing building stone. There is a comment, on p46 of the
memoir, that the
Rough Rock was largely used for road setts and curbs in the Halifax
area at that time.
The 1927 Rochdale memoir (details below) says on
p155 that the Rough Rock was
crushed to obtain sand and gravel for concrete.
 EDUCATIONAL
VALUE:
The quarry face to the western end of the site is especially suitable
for geological parties.
The flat, grassy areas provide good access to the rock exposures.
There are seats
overlooking the valley to the north, so good views of the geological
landscape can be
observed. The eastern end of the quarry is generally inaccessible,
though there are some
small footpaths through it.
AESTHETIC CHARACTERISTICS:
There are good views to Norland Moor, Ovenden Moors and the escarpment
above
Halifax to the north, which allow the relationship of rock type
to landscape to be shown.
ACCESS AND SAFETY:
A car park is located in Stainland. Several footpaths lead to
the site from Stainland
village (adjacent to the village shop) through the cricket
and football pitches. Access
would be difficult by wheelchair.
The quarry faces may be unsafe, though
there is no sign of recent falls. Hard hats should
be worn if the face is approached. However, there are two stacks
of solid rock which
have been left away from the face in the level ground of
the quarry, which can be
approached safely.
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