A Field Trip in Conisbrough - Part 6

 

Inspecting a supposed reverse fault at North Cliff Quarry

The planned field trip in Conisbrough with the Sheffield U3A Geology Group on 16th February 2022 had taken a lot of preparation, with a trial run in September 2020, a trip to undertake some site clearance work, various bureaucratic barriers raised by Doncaster MBC and then trying to arrange a suitable place to park. 

 

The itinerary for the field trip

The roads around Conisbrough Castle are winding, quite narrow and often without footpaths, with a one way system in place and parking places are quite limited. For this reason, even though the online payment system at Castle Hill car park did not seem straightforward, there was plenty of room to park and this was highlighted in the extended itinerary for the day. 

 

The Met Office forecast for Storm Dudley

 

20 group members, which constitutes a good turnout, replied to me to say that they would be going on the field trip but, quite unexpectedly, the weather took a turn for the worse, with the forecast for the week beginning 14th February announcing the first of three severe storms that would arrive in the coming week – Dudley, Eunice and Franklin. 

 

The guide for St. Peter's church

Contacting both Paul and Dave, who had come with me on the recce on 4th February, the consensus was that because the forecast for the daytime was still quite reasonable, we decided that we would continue with our plans. Although 6 members dropped out and there was a bit of confusion with the parking and meeting places, we started our day at St. Peter’s church, which had been opened especially for us. 

 

The north arcade of St. Peter's church

 

I never tire of seeing this church, which is reputedly the oldest existing building in South Yorkshire and, after briefly showing the group the principal points of architectural and archaeological interest, we set off towards Denaby Crags, via the late mediaeval well cover. 

 

Descending into North Cliff Quarry

With some light rain falling for less than half an hour, the path that we had taken on our recce had become quite slippery and, after some delay when helping our eldest member, Pauline, down into the floor of North Cliff Quarry, we took advantage of a break in the weather to have lunch. 

 

In North Cliff Quarry

When leading the Sheffield U3A Geology Group field trips, I don’t often have the time to take photographs of the points of interest that I am trying to explain and, having shown the more adventurous members of the group ooliths and fossils in the dolomitic limestone of the Cadeby Formation – using my hand lens – we eventually reconvened at a part of North Cliff Quarry where there is supposedly a reverse fault. 

 

A straggler

Here, Paul described various features that had been highlighted on a previous field trip that he had attended with Chris Darmon, but I didn’t agree with his explanation – as I had already mentioned during the recce, when pointing out that the British Geological Survey map and memoir make no mention of this and the field evidence doesn't support this.

 

The part of North Cliff Quarry with a supposed reverse fault

 

By now, the forecast rain had started to fall and although this wasn’t anywhere near as bad as when we decided to abandon our field trip at Curbar Edge in November 2015, when 70 kmph wind was accompanied by a torrential downpour, I reluctantly concurred with the group decision to terminate our day out here.

 

Storm Dudley on 16th February 2022