HISTORY
From the 13 th century, Shire Oak was part of the Royal Forest of Cannock, a mixture of arable, pasture woodland and heathland, in which the King's deer were protected. During the 18 th century the area was enclosed into agricultural fields and thus it remained for the next 200 years.
The park was used for farming until the early 1930s when a sand and gravel quarry was opened. During World War II the government took over the area for tank testing. After the war, quarrying continued in earnest to supply materials for rebuilding Birmingham . The quarry finally closed in 1978 although Birch Hollow, at the south end, has not been quarried since the 1940’s. Some of the materials from the site were used to rebuild Birmingham after the second world war.
Shire Oak Local Nature Reserve is based in and around this former quarry.
GEOLOGY
There are three distinct rock formations present at Shire Oak LNR each from different geological periods (ages).
In descending order (youngest first) these are:-
Quaternary - Glaciofluvial sands and gravel
Triassic - Kidderminster Formation
Carboniferous - Keele Formation
These formations are exposed and wonderfully illustrated at the co-ordinates of this Earthcache.The variability of the Kidderminster formation is displayed together with the contact with glacial sands and gravel.
The sandstone layer was deposited during the Triassic period when this area was a dry arid desert.
The sands and gravel above the sandstone were deposited during the Pleistocene epoch of the Quaternary period - when this area was covered in the last Ice Age by constantly moving ice and glaciers.
To qualify for this Earthcache answer the following questions by visiting the cache co-ordinates and the geological information sign close by.
1. Where else can the same soils be found?
2. How old is the sandstone layer?
3. Estimate the average height of the sandstone layer in front of you
4. Describe the size and shape of the stones in the layer BENEATH the sandstone
5. Explain why you think they they are this size & shape
6. (Optionally) upload a photo of yourself or your GPSr at the location to your log
Do not post your answers on your log. Send or message your answers to me via my profile within 24 hours of your log.
Published with the kind permission of Walsall Council Greenspaces.