| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
 View towards Fognam Chalk Quarry | |
  Location within Berkshire | |
| Location | Berkshire |
|---|---|
| Grid reference | SU 297 799 [1] |
| Coordinates | 51°31′01″N 1°34′30″W / 51.517°N 1.575°W |
| Interest | Geological |
| Area | 3.0 hectares (7.4 acres) [1] |
| Notification | 1985 [1] |
| Location map | Magic Map |
Fognam Chalk Quarry is a 3-hectare (7.4-acre) geological Site of Special Scientific Interest west of Upper Lambourn in Berkshire. [1] [2] It is a Geological Conservation Review site. [3] It is in the North Wessex Downs. [4]
The site is private land with no public access.
Geology
The Chalk Rock was deposited about 80-90 Million years ago, the quarry marks the junction between the Middle and Upper Chalk. The formation can be traced from Hertfordshire to Dorset, but the chalk of Berkshire is only about half the thickness seen in other locations as it is thought that it was deposited over an area of relatively higher ground (the Berkshire-Chiltern Shelf, part of the London Platform) and therefore in shallower seas. This makes correlation with other formations difficult, due to the absence of certain marker beds, although dating from fossils in the quarry, particularly Middle and Upper Turonian ammonites associated with inoceramid bivalve assemblages has been attempted. [5] [6]
History
The chalk from this quarry was used locally to build houses. [4]
Fauna
The site has the following Fauna: [7]
Mammals
Invertebrates
Flora
The site has the following Flora: [7]
- kidney vetch
- birdsfoot trefoil
- Lady's bedstraw
- cowslip
- mignonette
- rough hawkbit
- glaucous sedge
- common spotted orchid
- salad burnet
- greater knapweed
- yellow rattle
- fairy flax
- hoary plantain
- field scabious
References
- ^ a b c d "Designated Sites View: Fognam Chalk Quarry". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
- ^ "Map of Fognam Chalk Quarry". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
- ^ "Fognam Quarry (Cenomanian, Turonian, Senonian, Maastrichtian)". Geological Conservation Review. Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Retrieved 4 October 2019.[ permanent dead link]
- ^ a b "Chalk Links in the North Wessex Downs" (PDF). Retrieved 8 March 2017.
- ^ "FGS field trip to Berkshire, Sunday 11 May 2014" (PDF). Retrieved 8 March 2017.
- ^ "SITE NAME: FOGNAM CHALK QUARRY" (PDF). Retrieved 8 March 2017.
- ^ a b "Condition of SSSI Units for Site Fognam Chalk Quarry SSSI". Natural england. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
