Hard limestone

Listen out for traffic on this sharp bend in Pudford Lane while you look at the rock exposed under the tree on the inner corner of the lane. This is a new rock type. It is a hard limestone that formed under a shallow sea in the Silurian time period. Can you see bedding in these rocks?

When this rock was being formed the ‘Martley’ area was around 20 degrees south of the equator. The sea here was warm, shallow and flooded with sunlight. So not surprisingly it was rich in marine life. This rock shows on the Map as a narrow band, can you think why it outcrops as such a narrow band?

Another view of the rock bands

This view is at the other end of the path along Pudford Hill and Rodge Hill to the north. It shows the same rock beds as you can see here. Look at the distant quarry face, what do the rock beds seem to be doing?

Vertical, perhaps even tipping over on themselves slightly! Zoom in the picture to help you to see this. This is why we have the narrow outcrop of this rock, we are walking on the upturned ends of the beds. What forces have upturned these rocks?

Task Site 7 Question

Look at the environment (touch ‘then’ button) what may have been the biggest danger here in deep time?

a) Volcanoes
b) Cold
c) Sharks
d( Dinosaurs