Grid
reference: SU 905
819
Area
of site: 0.53 ha;
1.32 acres
Access,
location and parking:
The Pit is 1.5 km east of Maidenhead on the eastern side of the
Site
description:
Disused quarry, overgrown, but accessible.
Geological
interpretation:
Other
features of interest in the quarry are:
·
structural
(the dip of the beds is steeper than the regional dip and therefore probably
represents a palaeoslope;
·
there are
several hardgrounds which represent periods of time when sedimentation
ceased or slowed down sufficiently to allow accumulation of fossil material,
abundant borings and evidence of cementing activities of organisms on the
seafloor and also extra cementation of the horizon itself (the ‘hardground’);
·
fossils are
present in several horizons, those of the hardgrounds are most obvious -
encrusting annelids, oysters, burrows and foraminifera. Elsewhere other annelids
and bivalves are common; also found are echinoids (Micraster and Echinocorys),
belemnites, ammonites, crinoids and fish debris, amongst others.
·
layers of
tabular and nodular flints.
·
solution pipe
(in centre of quarry); this is where water has percolated preferentially through
the area of the pipe and dissolved the chalk in this region, infilling the
cavity with insoluble debris - in this case phosphatic;
The
quarry is therefore of great importance for stratigraphy, geological history of
the Late Cretaceous, palaeontology and sedimentology.
Current
and potential educational use
(geology, ecology, archaeology, industrial archaeology):
No current use is made of the site, as far as is known, as the quarry is fairly
overgrown which restricts access to the face. However, there is a good exposure
of the chalk within the cliff section visible and this is relatively easily
recoverable with site clearance. It is currently unsuitable for group visits.
However, the site has great potential as an educational and research resource
for all levels of activity and interest. The site also has a wildlife interest
in the form of dormice and wildfowl which should be kept in mind during any
potential geological plan.
Conservation
interest:
To maintain the geological integrity of the geological exposure by preventing
infill and complete vegetation cover and to clear the obscuring talus.
(Vegetation clearance should keep in mind the wildlife interest, particularly
the dormice.
Threats
to site (present and future): Vegetation - penetration by tree roots disturbs the integrity of the
stratigraphy and the smaller sedimentological features, but also prevents access
to the site. Infill would be a threat, but the site is under SSSI protective
legislation, and there is no immediate threat.
Constraints
(basic risk assessment): Rubble and vegetation make the ground difficult and unsafe to traverse.
Faces need assessing for stability.
Reference
list/bibliography:
Anon.
Taplow Quarry (
Chapman,
F. 1892. Microzoa from the Phosphatic Chalk of Taplow. Q. Journal of the Geol.
Soc. London. 48, 514-518.
Jukes-Browne,
A. J. 1904. The Cretaceous rocks of
Strachan,
A. 1891. Phosphatic Chalk with Belemnitella quadrata, at Taplow. Q.
Journal of the Geological Society
White,
H. J. O. 1905. Phosphatic Chalk of Taplow. Q. J. of the Geological Society of
White,
H. J. O. 1910. Geology in the field, p. 224.
Recommendations:
Liaise with Natural England with regard to their opinion on whether the site
could be made suitable for group visits by clearing, if funds become available.