Geology

Winnats Pass: A Tropical and Haunting Road

29th May 2018 by

‘Vale of the Winnets, Derbyshire’, T. Allom, c. 1830. [DERSR: 41551]

Look up the hill, you can see the winding and narrow road of Winnats Pass. This deep route runs between the two towering pinnacles of limestone on either side. The wind swirls and it’s no wonder that there is the legend of the pass being haunted by murdered two lovers.

When you head through Winnats Pass, it is difficult to imagine that this once would have been at the bottom of a tropical ocean. There are fossilised sea creatures in the limestone rocks which date back to 350 million years ago when this would have been a coral reef, the deep ravine forming when a large underground cave system collapsed. This cave system was created after melting glaciers wore away at the rock, allowing streams of water between the cracks as the limestone dissolved. These deepened the cracks and fissures, opening them up to create large caverns with thin roofs. When these collapsed, they formed steep sided valleys like the one here at Winnats Pass.

Schools of the Peak – Museum Challenge

4th May 2018 by

Has your school been learning about the history, geology or art of the Peak District?

Use this challenge to upload and share your work; from stories and articles to photography and artwork.

For more information, or inspiration, e-mail buxton.museum@derbyshire.gov.uk.

Elias Hall

1st May 2018 by

This patch of churchyard at St. Edmunds, Castleton, is home to the grave of Elias Hall (1764 – 1853). Can you find the headstone nearby?

In Memory of Elias Hall, the geologist, who died on the 30th day of December 1853 aged 89 years. Born of parents in humble life and having a large family to provide for, yet he devoted himself to the study of geology for 70 years with powers of originality and industry rarely surpassed. To mark the last resting place of one who had worked so long and so hard for the public, a few of his friends and admirers living at a distance have placed this stone

Elias was born in Castleton. His marriage record names him as a “Petrifaction Worker” in Derby. Later he was variously described as fossilist, mineralist, geologist or surveyor in Castleton. He lived in a cottage in Cross Street, now the Greystones shop. Elias produced detailed geological models and strata maps, such as the one below, which is over 2m long when fully unfolded!

Strata map of England, Elias Hall c.1830 (Buxton Museum: DERSB : 2012.32)

[Read more…] about Elias Hall

Blue John Windows

14th April 2018 by

You’re standing outside Treak Cliff Cavern, one of only two places in the world where Blue John is mined. (the other is Blue John Cavern, also nearby). Blue John is a variety of a mineral called fluorspar, composed of calcium fluoride (CaF2). Fluorspar comes in a range of colours, but Blue John is characterised by bluish purple with white or yellow banding. Its colour and translucency have made it popular for creating ornaments or jewellery – but these qualities have also been exploited to create decorative ‘windows’, akin to stained glass.

Blue John window by John Tym, late 1800s. DERSR : 0109

The window above was made by Castleton-born John Tym. It is made in three pieces, each containing thin slices of Blue John glued onto glass. It was commissioned in the late 1800s for Birchfield Lodge, Hope, where it remained until 1983. It is now reframed in a light box and on display at Buxton Museum and Art Gallery.

[Read more…] about Blue John Windows

Fluorite from Glory Mine

6th December 2017 by

The collection at Buxton Museum and Art Gallery contains this specimen of fluorite – discovered underneath your feet below the surface of Crich Hill.

Many shafts were dug into Crich Hill during the early 1800s in order to mine lead veins. Glory Mine shaft was dug at this time and eventually worked to 810ft before the vein ran out. It wasn’t usual for lead miners to discover mineral crystals, many of which were collected to sell to tourists.

Having so many independent mines in one place could cause problems. In 1831 a dispute over the ownership of a lead vein brought the miners of Glory Mine and Old End in conflict. The rival tunnels met underground, where Glory miners were recorded to have pushed stones down onto miners below them. It is also claimed that one side burnt old boots to smoke the other side out. Eventually an agreement was reached and a boundary line was fixed on the surface.

The Brachiopods of Parkhouse Hill

1st November 2017 by

If you’ve managed to scramble up the steep sides of Parkhouse Hill, congratulations! You are standing on the remains of a reef attol, formed around 350 million years ago in the Lower Carboniferous. The hill still reflects the shape of the reef that formed it. If you look closely at the rocky outcrops you may find fossils of various sea creatures.

This site is now a SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) so removing fossil material is forbidden. However, the collection of JW Jackson at Buxton Museum and Art Gallery contains many specimens from this site – and the collections helps us to understand what this reef would have been like when it sat in a warm, tropical sea.

Geology

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