Caulms Wood Quarry, Dewsbury

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

STATUS: Local Geological Site
OTHER DESIGNATIONS:
COUNTY: West Yorkshire
DISTRICT: Kirklees
OS GRID REF. SE 250 223
OS 1:50,000 Landranger 104 Leeds and Bradford
OS 1:25,000 Explorer 288 Bradford and Huddersfield
BGS 1:50,000 Sheet 77 Huddersfield
FIRST DESIGNATED by West Yorkshire LGS Group in 1996
DATE OF MOST RECENT SURVEY November 2007 by West Yorkshire Geology
Trust
SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION from Ian Chisholm
DESIGNATION SHEET UPDATED August 2009

SITE DESCRIPTION: Caulms Wood quarry has a 50m long face of Upper Carboniferous sandstone called the Thornhill Rock. The face is steep and about 10m high, with large, shallow, rounded caves due to the weathering of iron-rich sandstones. There are thin coal seams and a seat earth, as well as various sedimentary structures such as cross-bedding and ripple bedding.

HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS: Used for building stones, with the waste being crushed for aggregate.

EDUCATIONAL VALUE: This quarry is suitable for all types of groups. For junior children, there is easy access to sandstones, with features of weathering, rock textures and the coal seam. At GCSE level, the rock types and structures can be used and this is an example of a coal cyclothem. At A-level stratigraphic logging can be undertaken, leading to a discussion of environments of deposition in the Upper Carboniferous period.

AESTHETIC CHARACTERISTICS: The site is part of Festival Park, Crackenedge, Dewsbury, which is a landscaped quarry site, with flowers beds, sculptures and footpaths. The quarry face is hidden behind trees planted on quarry tip and is very much spoilt by graffiti. There are good views over Dewsbury town centre and to the west.

ACCESS AND SAFETY: There is parking off A653, Dewsbury-Leeds Road for 10/12 cars. Walk to top of Festival Park (about 200m). The quarry can be reached by wheelchairs, though access to all the faces would be difficult as the paths are rough. The face appears safe, but the south end of the quarry may need checking by experts. As the quarry face is shielded from the rest of the park by dense trees, it would be better if geologists visit it in groups, rather than alone.