Wonders of the Peak

Buxton Museum & Art Gallery

Mass of young goniatites

DERSB : 100142.8

Mass of young goniatites. 360-326 million years old. Goniatites were the free-swimming ancestors of the modern nautilus, with coiled shells. Collected by JW Jackson from Parkhouse Hill, Glutton Bridge. Parkhouse Hill is a remnant of a reef knoll, now part of a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) because of its geology and limestone flora. A great diversity of fossil species has been found there.

Additional information

  • Description: length 100mm; width 75 mm; depth 35 mm; weight 0.25 kg
  • Who collected it? Jackson, J.W., Dr.
  • Credits: Bellhouse Collection
  • Rights: Creative Commons CC BY-NC 4.0 Buxton Museum and Art Gallery (part of Derbyshire County Council)

Wonders linked to this object:

Summit of Parkhouse Hill

  [caption id="attachment_7037" align="alignnone" width="448"] View from the summit[/caption] Congratulations!  That is the steepest climb of the whole walk over with and we need somewhere to get our breath back.  This pronounced summit offers an obvious place to sit, almost like a few stone stools bunched together – so take the weight off your feet.  You might need something for a cushion as you will quickly notice that this limestone is very hard indeed. [caption id="attachment_7036" align="alignnone" width="448"]read more)

Base of Parkhouse Hill

Looking back at the hill, you'll see why I recommended taking that detour to the right; the well-worn way coming down is so steep it requires rock climbing skills.  And what a dramatically sudden end to those slopes which are indeed like the plates on the back of a gigantic stegosaurus. [caption id="attachment_7041" align="alignnone" width="448"] Looking back at Parkhouse Hill[/caption] From our viewpoint on the flat valley floor, with a little imagination, it feels like we could be standing on a sea bed, looking up at a coral ... (read more)