Geological Sites | Leeds
| Bradford | Calderdale
| Kirklees | Wakefield
 STATUS: RIGS
OTHER DESIGNATIONS: Site of Special Scientific Importance
COUNTY: West Yorkshire
DISTRICT: Kirklees
OS GRID REF: SE 032 108
OS 1:50,000 Landranger 110 Sheffield and Huddersfield
OS 1:25,000 EXPLORER OL 21 South Pennines
BGS 1:50,000 Sheet 86 Glossop
FIRST DESIGNATED by West Yorkshire RIGS Group in 1996
DATE OF MOST RECENT SURVEY Visited in June 2007 by West Yorkshire Geology
Trust
SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION produced by Ian Chisholm
SITE DESCRIPTION:
An extensive exposure of Upper Carboniferous Midgley Grit (formerly known
as the Pule Hill Grit) is revealed in a 20m high quarry face extending
100m along the western slopes of Pule Hill. Plant fossils can be seen
in the quarry spoil and blocks of fallen rock.
 HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS:
The quarry produced large quantities of building stones and flag stones.
The site has industrial archaeological interest, containing the remains
of a loading bay for the inclined plane used to transport quarried
stone down to the road. The quarrying is referred to in the Holmfirth
and Glossop memoir (see details below) p177. It was recorded in 1933
that the quarries (called Pule Edge Quarries) were actively producing
paving stones, setts and building stone.
Adjacent to the site are spoil tips containing material removed during
the construction of the Standedge tunnels.
EDUCATIONAL VALUE:
This is an excellent site demonstrating the quarrying of stone, with
interesting structures in the quarry face. It is often used for guided
geological walks which include ‘Goniatite Gully’ and the
geology of Marsden.
The summit of Pule Hill has good views of the local landscape and geology,
especially looking east to the Rough Rock of Shooters Nab and south to
the moors which are made of Kinderscout Grits.
Nearby at SE 033 102 is the Site of Special Scientific Interest at ‘Goniatite
Gully’. For references for this important site see below.
AESTHETIC CHARACTERISTICS:
There are excellent views over Marsden Moor to Buckstones.
ACCESS AND SAFETY:
Good parking is available in the lay-by on the east side of the A62 (SE
028 107). A stile gives access to a track leading up the inclined plane
to the quarry. Avoid steep slopes overlooking the quarry and unstable
spoil heaps. Keep to flat ground in front of the quarry face. Hard
hats should be worn, if approaching the quarry faces. The quarry is
used for climbing.
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