Huntley Quarry Geology Reserve

Huntley Quarry

Geological overview
The Reserve was officially opened in 2007, and is the first geology reserve in Gloucestershire. The reserve, and its surrounding woodland, cover an area of 0.87 hectares and is owned and managed by Gloucestershire Geology Trust. Three quarries, as well as the bluebell and daffodil woodland can be visited at the reserve.

Acker’s Quarry is a small site, which exposes Triassic Bromsgrove Sandstone sediments, some 237 – 228 million years old. These sediments were probably deposited in a river or estuary that flowed across the deserts of the supercontinent Pangaea.

Bright’s Hill Quarry can be found to the back of Huntley Quarry. Exposed here are Early Silurian (Huntley Hill Formation) siltstones and sandstones, dating from 436 – 428 million years ago. These sediments were probably deposited in a shallow marine environment, which bordered a landmass called the Midlands Platform.

Huntley Quarry is the main quarry within the reserve and is a ‘geological gem’. Listed below are just a few of the reasons why this quarry is geologically very important:

• The only known exposure of the Huntley Quarry Beds. These have recently been dated to Late Ordovician to Early Silurian, 445 – 439 million years ago
• The sandstones and siltstones that make up the Huntley Quarry Beds contain volcanic material, lava and ash fall deposits. These are volcaniclastic sediments
• The Blaisdon Fault is very well displayed within the quarry
• The Huntley Quarry Beds appear to lie near horizontal near the A40, becoming obviously overturned in the main quarry
• The Huntley Quarry Beds appear to form the core of the May Hill Dome

Access
Open

Geological Age
Silurian – Huntley Quarry Beds
Triassic – Bromsgrove Sandstone Formation
Triassic – Mercia Mudstone Group

Rock Types
Sedimentary – sandstone, silstones, volcanaclastic material

Features
Folding
Faulting
Unconformity
Area structural geology and geological history setting

Interpretation
Interpretation boards on site
Huntley Quarry Geology Reserve booklet
Section 15 of the Geopark Way trail
Huntley, Longhope and Hobb’s Ridge trail guide