Geology

The geology that has led to the poor soils, upland moors and abundance of water has had a profound impact on the industrial development of the area.

Specifically, the upland geology of Millstone Grit and glacial deposits of sands, gravels and limestone boulders, have shaped the area’s traditional industries; providing stone to build local farms, homes and mills, limestone for the production of lime in kilns and as use as fertilizer on the otherwise acidic soils, and rocks to build characteristic drystone walls.

More recently, old quarry sites have also provided new habitats, as they are slowly colonized by a range of vegetation and used by peregrine falcons and bat as nesting sites.