The geology and conservation of Brown End Quarry, Waterhouses, Staffordshire

Brown End Quarry is an outstanding geological locality and a Site of Special Scientific Interest of both national and international importance. The exposed Milldale and Hopedale Limestones of early Carboniferous age contain a rich variety of geological phenomena ranging from carbonate mudmounds and gravity flows deposits, to horizons rich in echinoderm remains, rare trilobites and a range of trace fossils. New evidence suggests that the sequence contains a significant proportion of resedimented material. Consideration of all available palaeontological and sedimentological phenomena suggests that the sequence was deposited in the Widmerpool Gulf at water depths of around 300 m. Controversy still exists about the age of parts of the sequence. The quarry is Staffordshire's first geological nature reserve and its conservation is managed by the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust (the owners of the site), in close collaboration with the North Staffordshire Group of the Geologists' Association. Details of the geology of the site and how it is being conserved are described.