New House Farm Quarry

Yartleton, Woolhope Limestone Formations

New House Farm Quarry

Exposed Units: Yartleton Formation, Woolhope Limestone Formation

This is a quarry site, part of which is still active. The main part of quarry, which predominantly extracted Woolhope Limestone, is long disused; virtually all of the Woolhope Limestone at this location has been quarried away, leaving the final excavation face near the junction of the Woolhope Limestone and Yartleton Formation.

A recent excavation has been made to produce stone by a farmer in the southernmost part of the quarry, providing an excellent new exposure in the top part of the Yartleton Formation. The uppermost 4m of the Yartleton Formation are currently exposed, with the very basal beds (only a few cms) of the Woolhope Limestone now visible.

The Yartleton Formation consists of fine-grained micaceous (mica-bearing) sandstone at the bottom of the exposure. This grades upwards into shelly, pebbly, fine-grained micaceous sandstones with lime cement and pebbles of micaceous siltstone. The shelly sandstones contain moulds of abundant brachiopods and abundant burrow traces, which often lie parallel to the bedding. The sandstones also contain abundant thin flat laminations and some cross laminations.

The small outcrop of Woolhope Limestone is composed of bioclastic limestones containing much crinoidal debris.

Terminology

Bioclastic limestone – A type of limestone characterised by very high fossil content.

Photos