| Brown End Quarry Grid Reference (SK 090 502) |
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| Small former quarry on the boundary of the Peak District National Park now managed as a geological nature reserve by the Trust. |
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Small though this reserve may be at 3 ½ acres, there is still plenty to see:
Find out more about the geology of the area by following our interpretive trail which tells the story of how the rocks in this area were formed.
The enclosed nature of the quarry means that it provides a wonderfully sheltered spot to take a picnic on sunny days – even when it's windy you'll be able to enjoy your picnic protected from the worst of the weather!
Not just all rocks though! – the adjoining grassland areas have developed a wonderfully rich limestone grassland flora. June/July is the best time to visit to see the wildflowers at their best and an abundance of butterflies.
Visit as part of a school group or other organised visit and explore the site with the help of our education pack (due Dec 2004).
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| According to legend, St. Peter dropped the keys to heaven when he found out another set had been made. The keys landed somewhere in Northern Europe and the first cowslip sprang from that spot. The nodding yellow flowers are thought to resemble the saint's bunch of keys. |
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BACKGROUND & INDUSTRIAL PAST
Brown End Quarry became the County's first geological nature reserve when it was acquired by the Trust in 1987.
Brown End was quarried for limestone from the mid 18th Century until 1950, when its inclusion within the Peak National Park restricted further development. Quarrying finally ceased in the mid 1960s. For much of this period the stone was dug by hand and typical production in the late 1940s was about 5,000 tonnes a year.
GEOLOGY
Brown End Quarry is important for its exposed rocks and fossils of the Lower Carboniferous period. The exposed rocks belong to the Milldale and Hopedale Formations. The rocks were initially formed as horizontal layers of sediment in a warm tropical sea at a time when Britain was straddling the equator, some 350 million years ago. They were subsequently tilted and uplifted above sea-level into their present position around 290 million years ago during a major episode of deformation and earth movement. 
The older Milldale limestones were deposited in fairly still water at depths of around 300m. The rocks are fine-grained with varying amounts of crinoid debris. Crinoids, or sea lilies as they are commonly known, are actually animals related to starfish. They were attached to the sea-floor by a stem and on top of the stem was a cup to which numerous 'arms' were attached. Other animals which lived on the sea floor and can be found as fossils include sea-snails and trilobites. Worm-like organisms which burrowed into the sea-bed are no longer present as fossils but their activity is marked by numerous sinuous and spiral 'trace fossils', examples of which can be found at Brown End.
The younger Hopedale limestones show graded bedding with grain size decreasing in the upper layers. These beds are likely to have formed as a result of powerful currents which travelled down sea-floor slopes, depositing the larger particles first and then gradually the finer ones. These are known as turbidite beds.
WILDLIFE
 Although the reserve was primarily acquired for its geological features the site also supports a variety of wildlife. The old spoil heaps and quarry floor have vegetated over since quarrying ceased and a typical limestone flora has developed. Most notable are the numerous cowslips which flower in the spring. Later in the year knapweed, scabious and oxeye daisies provide a nectar source for butterflies and other invertebrates. The fringing scrub provides good cover for nesting small birds such as warblers and tits.
FOSSIL COLLECTING POLICY
At Brown End we will be creating a collectors corner - this is where crushed rock, which has been left over from former quarrying activities, will be placed to be accessible to visitors to the reserve. You are welcome to hunt through this pile to find your own fossils and more closely study the rocks for which the Quarry is important.
Fossil rich rocks are abundant at Brown End Quarry and collecting from the pile will do little harm, however please remember the following guidelines:
collect only from the 'collectors corner' do not remove fossils from the rock face or pass beyond the safety fence
take only a few representative specimens of frequently occurring fossils if you find something which you think is unusual or is a particularly good example of a particular fossil please contact the Trust so that we can have it identified and properly recorded.
In the interests of public safety please do not use hammers, chisels or other tools to extract fossils from the rock. The rocks near the panels are placed here so that they can illustrate the information contianed within the boards and be used for educational visits.
keep a label with the fossil which should include information stating where & when collected and any other relevant observations.
Fossil collecting is an enjoyable and rewarding experience, but only if it is carried out in a responsible manner will we be able to maintain our fossil heritage for future generations.
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The geological features are managed to maintain the bare exposures of rock. The site is generally in good condition with the process of natural weathering causing regular rock-falls and resulting in newly exposed surfaces. Some manual management work is required to prevent encroaching scrub from obscuring the rock face.
The reserve is managed in partnership with the North Staffordshire Group of the Geologists' Association.
The grassland areas are cut annually at the end of summer after the flowering plants have seeded.
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Current projects/significant management activities:
We have recently completed a project to provide new and exciting information and education materials for Brown End Quarry. The project includes full colour interpretation panels on the reserve, an outdoor classroom seating area, new access facilities, education pack and leaflet.
This project is supported by the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund, Heritage Lottery Fund and North East Staffordshire Regeneration.
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By bicycle
