Boulby Quarries

Boulby Quarries
Map showing the location of Boulby Quarries
Map showing the location of Boulby Quarries
Location within North Yorkshire
LocationRedcar and Cleveland, North Yorkshire, England
Coordinates54°34′12″N 0°50′48″W / 54.57000°N 0.84667°W / 54.57000; -0.84667
Area40.3 ha (100 acres)
Established1989
Governing bodyNatural England
WebsiteMap of site

Boulby Quarries (grid reference NZ745200) is a 40.3 hectare geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Redcar and Cleveland, North Yorkshire, England notified in 1989. It is located close to the coast and the village of Boulby.[1]

In England SSSIs are designated by Natural England and Boulby Quarries is one of 18 SSSIs in the Cleveland area of search.[2] The site is identified as being of national importance in the Geological Conservation Review.

The quarries are wholly within the North Yorkshire and Cleveland Heritage Coast and partly within the North York Moors National Park and the historic North Riding of Yorkshire.

The fossil content of Boulby Quarry is particularly important with two plesiosaur species (Eretmosaurus macroptera and Thaumatosaurus zetlandicus), an ichthyosaur Ichthyosaurus crassimonus and the only Upper Lias pterosaur known in Britain, Parapsicephalus being found at the site. The fossil are found in the bifrons zone, and although not abundant, it is very different from surrounding fossil sites.[3]

References

  1. ^ "Site map". Nature on the map. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 8 December 2007.
  2. ^ "SSSI information". Natural England. Retrieved 8 December 2007.
  3. ^ "Boulby Quarries citation sheet" (PDF). Natural England. Retrieved 8 December 2007.


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