Halecombe
Halecombe is a limestone quarry near Leigh-on-Mendip on the Mendip Hills, Somerset, England.
The quarry exhibits pale to dark grey well-bedded Carboniferous Limestone, about 350-320 million years old,[1] dipping steeply and consistently northwards and numerous "fist-sized" calcite inclusions within the limestones both solid and hollow with internal calcite crystal growth. There are abundant near-vertical fissures and joints in the limestone with varying amounts of calcite mineralization and tufa growth around groundwater seepages.[2] There are abundant shelly fossils and corals.
Quarrying activity was initiated at Halecombe at the time of the Second World War. It had been worked under private ownership until purchased by Hobbs in the 1960s; subsequently worked by Wimpey Hobbs following their amalgamation in the early 1980s and by Tarmac Ltd from 1996. It is now owned by Anglo American.[3]
The landscape provides several areas identified under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan including Lowland Meadow, Limestone Grassland and Species-rich Neutral Grassland.[4] The site is subject to its own Biodiversity Action Plan. Pans submitted in December 2011 provide for the provision of a water balancing lake.[5]
References
- ^ "Summary of Geo-diversity Audit: Halecombe Quarry" (PDF). Somerset County Council. Retrieved 23 September 2012.
- ^ "Halecombe Quarry Geodiversity". Somerset County Council. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 2 February 2007.
- ^ "Halecombe Quarry, Leigh upon Mendip, Nr Frome" (PDF). Geodiversity Audit of Active Aggregate Quarries. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 2 February 2007.
- ^ "Habitat survey of Halecombe Quarry". Somerset Wildlife Trust. Retrieved 23 September 2012.
- ^ "Our Plans". Tarmac. Retrieved 23 September 2012.
See also
- v
- t
- e
- Ashwick
- Axbridge
- Banwell
- Bishop Sutton
- Blagdon
- Bleadon
- Burrington
- Charterhouse
- Cheddar
- Chewton Mendip
- Churchill
- Compton Bishop
- Compton Martin
- Cross
- Draycott
- East Harptree
- Easton
- Hinton Blewett
- Hutton
- Leigh-on-Mendip
- Litton
- Oakhill
- Priddy
- Rodney Stoke
- Rowberrow
- Sandford
- Shepton Mallet
- Shipham
- Ubley
- Webbington
- Wells
- West Harptree
- Westbury-sub-Mendip
- Winscombe
- Wookey Hole
- Attborough Swallet
- Aveline's Hole
- Axbridge Ochre Mine
- Banwell Caves
- Banwell Ochre Caves
- Burrington Combe
- Charterhouse Cave
- Cheddar Gorge
- Compton Martin Ochre Mine
- Cox's Cave
- Eastwater Cavern
- Ebbor Gorge
- Fairy Cave Quarry
- GB Cave
- Goatchurch Cavern
- Gough's Cave
- Hunter's Hole
- Lamb Leer
- Longwood Swallet
- Manor Farm Swallet
- Picken's Hole
- Pierre's Pot
- Priddy Caves
- Read's Cavern
- Reservoir Hole
- Rhino Rift
- Rod's Pot
- Shatter Cave
- Shute Shelve Cavern
- Sidcot Swallet
- St Cuthbert's Swallet
- St. Dunstan's Well Catchment
- Stoke Lane Slocker
- Swildon's Hole
- Thrupe Lane Swallet
- Tyning's Barrow Swallet
- Upper Flood Swallet
- W/L Cave
- Wookey Hole Caves
- Asham Wood
- Axbridge Hill and Fry's Hill
- Banwell Caves
- Banwell Ochre Caves
- Barns Batch Spinney
- Blagdon Lake
- Bleadon Hill
- Brimble Pit and Cross Swallet Basins
- Burledge Hill
- Burrington Combe
- Chancellor's Farm
- Cheddar Complex
- Cheddar Reservoir
- Cheddar Wood
- Chew Valley Lake
- Cloford Quarry
- Compton Martin Ochre Mine
- Cook's Wood Quarry
- Crook Peak to Shute Shelve Hill
- Dolebury Warren
- Draycott Sleights
- Ebbor Gorge
- Emborough Quarries
- Harptree Combe
- Hobbs Quarry
- Holwell Quarries
- Kingdown and Middledown
- Lamb Leer
- Priddy Caves
- Priddy Pools
- Perch
- Rodney Stoke
- St. Dunstan's Well Catchment
- Sandpit Hole and Bishop's Lot
- Shiplate Slait
- Viaduct Quarry
- Windsor Hill Quarry
- Wurt Pit and Devil's Punchbowl
51°13′30″N 2°26′07″W / 51.22498°N 2.43528°W / 51.22498; -2.43528