Since 2009 the Jurassic Coast Team in Partnership with Natural England have been working with volunteers to improve the condition of Horn Park.
Above: ‘Before’ and ‘After’ images of Horn Park Quarry
Horn Park Quarry near Beaminster is the nations smallest National Nature Reserve and is protected for its geology. The rock layers exposed at Horn Park are part of the Inferior Oolite – a set of limestone beds that were layed down in a shallow tropical sea 175 million years ago. The site is nationally important because the record through the Inferior Oolite at Horn Park is almost complete. It is not open to the public because it could easily be damaged by inappropriate fossil collecting.
Since 2009 the Jurassic Coast Team in Partnership with Natural England have been working with volunteers to improve the condition of Horn Park. This means clearing away vegetation from the rock faces and keeping the features of interest visible. Work is almost finished now and the site is looking much improved. Nearby Beaminster Museum have been given a grant from the Curry Fund to develop a new display about Horn Park quarry, including fossils from the site, and this should be ready by the autumn. Inland sites like Horn Park are perhaps not as dramatic as the coastline but they offer vital glimpses at the geological heritage normally hidden beneath our feet.
Sam Scriven, Earth Science Adviser
