GC1CH2F 'Rainhill Stone' (Earthcache) in North West England, United Kingdom created by Bonnie & Clyde (adopted by HazelS)

GC1CH2F ▼

A cache by Bonnie & Clyde (adopted by HazelS) Message this owner

Hidden : 5/23/2008

Difficulty:

Terrain:

Size: Size: other (other)

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Geocache Description:

'Welcome to Rainhill'

Just to answer your questions about this 'unusual' type of Earthcache, we decided upon this location as the area that we originally planned on using is just far too dangerous due to having narrow/no pavements.

The greater part of the Rainhill township lies upon the pebble beds of the Bunter series (new red sandstone), but small areas of the lower mottled sandstone of the same series occur on the western side of Cronton Lane and half a mile to the north-west of Rainhill Stoops.
Bunter beds are sandstone deposits containing rounded pebbles. They are thought to be alluvial deposits and, judging from the rounding of the mainly quartzite pebbles, to have resulted from prolonged transportation in a large and turbulent river, resulting in powerful abrasion. The deposits in the English Midlands are thought to have been transported in this way Northwards from Brittany, France. This supposed river has been called the "Budleighensis", after the Devon village of Budleigh Salterton, a site where such deposits were discovered. The depositions took place in the Triassic period. Some newer conglomerates, e.g. in Warwickshire, near Ryton are thought to have arisen from the Southward transportation of older deposits by ice flows, in the Ice Age.
The sandstone can be hard enough for building, yet easy enough to "work", resulting in bridges, castles, cathedrals and churches constructed of reddish sandstone, throughout the relevant areas of Europe
Rainhill used to quarry sandstone, this was known as 'Rainhill Stone' Not a great deal is known about the quarries that exploited the Rainhill Stone, However, a small quarry (Mill Hill Quarry) can be seen on the 1850's O.S. map along with the nearby quarries themselves. All along Mill lane you will see Rainhill stone walls and areas of the sandstone which have been cut away to accommodate the road itself.

According to local legend, the cross marks the burial site of Oliver Cromwell's horse - believe this or not, as you wish.

In order to log this cache you must do the following:

1. Visit the location at the given co-ords, here you will find a structure. Take a picture of yourself at this location with your GPSr and post it with your log.

2. Calculate the volume of the solid sandstone block (top block of base) in cubic feet: Length x Width x Height

3. Which famous Cathedral was Rainhill Sandstone used to build its interior walls?

Email to us the last two answers, please do not post them with your log.