Thorner Quarry

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

STATUS: Local Geological Site
OTHER DESIGNATIONS:
COUNTY: West Yorkshire
DISTRICT: Leeds
OS GRID REF. SE 381 407 OS 1:50,000 Landranger 104 Leeds and Bradford OS 1:25,000 Explorer 289 Leeds BGS 1:50,000 Sheet 70 Leeds
FIRST DESIGNATED West Yorkshire RIGS Group in 1997
DATE OF MOST RECENT SURVEY December 2007 by West Yorkshire Geology Trust
DESIGNATION SHEET UPDATED October 2009

SITE DESCRIPTION: The quarry has an exposure of 2-3m of loose white and pink sandy rock that displays cross lamination. The texture is sub-angular and the rock contains muscovite so has been interpreted as the Rough Rock by the British Geological Survey on Sheet 70 Leeds. The rest of the quarry is too overgrown to see any exposures.

HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS: Remains of dwellings that were partly cut into the rock faces are still visible.

EDUCATIONAL VALUE: Suitable for secondary, further and higher education use to demonstrate textures, lithology and structures. When considered with neighbouring sites at Scarcroft Hill railway cutting and Hetchell Woods it forms a distinctive part of the geological history of the area. It is valuable to relate this site to the Permo-Carboniferous unconformity (see below).

AESTHETIC CHARACTERISTICS:

ACCESS AND SAFETY: Part of the site can be viewed over a high wall from the road side which is wide enough for parking. Access can be gained to workings further back for which permission must be sought.