The history of local ironstone mining and the development of the Tees Valley are intimately linked.
The History of Ironworking in The Tees Valley
The earliest smelting of ironstone in the area is traceable to c.400BC, and the Iron Age, [...]
Tag Archives: Lias
Ironstone
Alum
The Alum Trade
The Alum Shale Member forms the upper part of the Whitby Mudstone Formation and was deposited in a reasonably well-oxygenated marine environment around 186 million years ago.The shales were extensively quarried between c.1604 and 1871 for the Alum trade which flourished here on the coast [...]
Jurassic
Rocks of Jurassic age crop out exclusively south of the River Tees, with both Lower and Middle Jurassic successions well represented. The rocks indicate an episode of marine sedimentation, represented by the Lias Group, followed by alternating cycles of deltaic and marine sedimentation represented by the overlying Ravenscar Group.
Marker on the Cleveland Way east of [...]
Geological periods
The word Geology comes from the ancient Greek, Ge (γη) meaning Earth (not to be confused with Gaia (Γαια) the Greek Earth goddess) and Logos (λογος) meaning word or study of, amongst other things. So Geology literally means Study of the Earth.
The the addition of the letter ‘o’ to spell geo was simply to [...]
Slapewath
Grid Reference NZ 643 158
BGS Sheet 34
OS Sheet 94
Forwarded as RIGS 30/09/2003
Site Description
Site Status
Description of Geodiversity Exposures of Main Seam Cleveland Ironstone Formation (bottom block) beside bridge footings below Fox & Hounds public house. A small waterfall immediately upstream may exist due to presence of the Pecten Seam. The area has [...]
on September 24, 2003 Leave a comment
Cass Rock Quarry
Grid Reference NZ 631 146
BGS Sheet 34
OS Sheet 94
Forwarded as RIGS Part of Guisborough Forest 30/09/2003
Site Description
Site Status SNCI
Brief Site Description Site 7 of 7. Disused alum quarry revealing exposures of Liassic Whitby mudstone and overlying Middle Jurassic Saltwick sandstone. Following abandonment after alum working, this quarry [...]
on September 20, 2003 Leave a comment
Cow Bar Nab
Grid Reference NZ 7784 192
BGS Sheet 34
OS Sheet 94
Forwarded as RIGS Part of Skinningrove to Staithes Coast 30/09/2003
Site Description
Site Status Part of the Heritage Coast
Description of Geodiversity Costal cliff nab exposure consisting of the Staithes sandstone formation which is the type locality. The foreshore to the west of the coastal defences consists [...]
on September 8, 2003 Leave a comment
Easington Beck
Grid Reference NZ 749 162
BGS Sheet 34
OS Sheet 94
Forwarded as RIGS 30/09/2003
Site Description
Site Status SNCI
Description of Geodiversity Upland river cutting through deltaic sandstone revealing river-cliffs and waterfalls. Exposures include Saltwick sandstone, Dogger and Whitby mudstone formations
Literature References
Site Map
Site Assessment
Access and Safety
Comments
Rating
Safety of access
From footbridge and along stream bank
8
Safety of exposure
Slippery on [...]
on September 4, 2003 Leave a comment
Skelton Beck
Grid Reference NZ 655 200
BGS Sheet 34
OS Sheet 94
Forwarded as RIGS Part of Skelton beck 30/09/03
Site Description
Site Status SNCI
Description of Geodiversity Stream bed and river-cliff exposures of Staithes sandstone. Natural waterfall. Change of facies to Cleveland ironstone
Literature References
Site Map
Site Assessment
Access and Safety
Comments
Rating
Safety of access
Along the Cleveland Way to start of section
10
Safety [...]
on August 1, 2003 Leave a comment
Hell Gill
Grid Reference NZ 599 131
BGS Sheet 34
OS Sheet 93
Forwarded as RIGS Part of Guisborough Forest 30/09/2003
Site Description
Site Status SNCI
Description of Geodiversity Late glacial V-shaped valley. Exposure of Cleveland ironstone (Pecten seam) along roadside. Further along track spoil tips of Whitby mudstone (Jet shale member) can be observed
Literature References Glimpses of Monument Mine, [...]
on August 1, 2003 Leave a comment