Butterley Cutting, Marsden

Geological Sites | Leeds | Bradford | Calderdale | Kirklees | Wakefield

STATUS: Local Geological Site
OTHER DESIGNATIONS: Peak District National Park /Kirklees Local Wildlife Site
COUNTY: West Yorkshire
DISTRICT: Kirklees
OS GRID REFERENCE SE 048 104 to 049 106
OS 1:50,000 Landranger 110 Sheffield and Huddersfield
OS 1:25,000 EXPLORER 288 Bradford and Huddersfield
BGS 1:50,000 SHEET 86 Glossop
FIRST DESIGNATED by West Yorkshire LGS Group in 1996
DATE OF MOST RECENT SURVEY January 2009
SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION produced by Ian Chisholm
DESIGNATION SHEET UPDATED August 2009

SITE DESCRIPTION: The cutting runs along the eastern side of Butterley reservoir, to the south of Marsden, for about 100m. It is about 5m high at the northern end but becomes higher to the south along the track. Access to the uppermost rocks is gained by a footpath to a small quarry above the track. The rocks are Upper Carboniferous Namurian (Millstone Grit) rocks and include sandstones with cross-bedding, shales and siltstones, which contain fossils. The beds dip gently to the north. A stratigraphic log has been produced and this gives the detailed rock types and their thicknesses.

HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS: The cutting was produced when the Butterley Reservoir was built between 1891 and 1906. The photo below shows the junction between Upper Kinderscout Grit and the mudstones below, dipping at a gentle angle.

EDUCATIONAL VALUE: This cutting is on a public track and could be used to teach basic geology with links to the construction of Butterley Dam. At a higher level, the site is excellent for stratigraphic logging as there is access to the whole sequence of rocks.

AESTHETIC CHARACTERISTICS: There are good views of the Wessenden valley, Marsden and the surrounding moorlands.

ACCESS AND SAFETY: The access is from Binn Road, south of Marsden, by a public track at Butterley Dam. The track, which allows wheelchair access, gives access to the foot of cutting. There is space for car parking (for two cars or a minibus but not for coaches). The upper face may be unstable but the rock cutting has been drained with a ditch, which means that people are not able to approach within 2m of the face itself.