Clough Head Quarry, Slaithwaite

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

STATUS: Local Geological Site
OTHER DESIGNATIONS:
COUNTY: West Yorkshire
DISTRICT: Kirklees
OS GRID REF. SE 082 157
OS 1:50,000 Landranger 110 Sheffield and Huddersfield
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 West Yorkshire Geology Group in December
2007
SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION produced by Ian Chisholm
DESIGNATION SHEET UPDATED August 2009

SITE DESCRIPTION: Clough Head quarry stands on Clough Road at the head of Crimble Clough to the north of Slaithwaite overlooking the Colne Valley. The face is about 50m long and 10m high. Exposures of Upper Carboniferous Namurian (Millstone Grit) Huddersfield White Rock illustrate the mineralogy of the grit, renowned for its weathering resistant properties. The rock illustrates a range of sedimentary features including massive bedding, cross bedding and jointing.

HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS: This was exploited for freestone, with the waste being crushed for use for local roads and tracks. The Huddersfield and Halifax memoir (see below p198) records that the quarry was working in 1930.

EDUCATIONAL VALUE: Clough Head Primary School is positioned on the top of the quarry, so any work on making the site accessible might be useful for teaching.

AESTHETIC CHARACTERISTICS: Excellent views along the Colne Valley toward Marsden and ‘steps and benches’ can be seen along the slopes of the valley.

ACCESS AND SAFETY: Parking is very restricted, as Clough Road is narrow and busy. The site is unsafe at present. There is no access to the bottom of the face as the quarry floor is completely overgrown with brambles and nettles. Mechanised equipment to remove vegetation and waste material would be needed to clear the face.