The Memorial Fountain, Wigton.
This large and impressive Shap granite fountain to the memory of his first wife, Eliza Ray, was erected by George Moore in 1872, some fourteen years after her death and about eleven years after he wed his second wife, Agnes Breeks. It stands imposingly in the triangular market place in the centre of Wigton where George Moore served his apprenticeship as a draper. On each side of the fountain is a bronze relief by the famous pre-Raphaelite sculptor Thomas Woolner showing the Acts of Mercy, 'Visiting the Afflicted', 'Clothing the Naked', 'Instructing the Ignorant' and ' Feeding the Hungry'. Above each sculpture is a carving of the face of Mrs Eliza Moore surrounded by leaves.
In order to log a find against this EarthCache, you will need to visit GZ and make some observations and then answer some questions and send answers to me via my Geocaching profile or through the Messenger Centre.
You won't need a magnifying glass or anything like that to complete the earthcache but if you have one, or ideally a hand lens or even a magnifying app on your smartphone, you'll be able to see the makeup of the rock in much greater detail.
1) Look at the fountain, here you can see phenocrysts. Please describe their shape, and colour.
2) Using the information below, please tell me whether you think this rock cooled quickly or slowly, give your reasoning for your answer?
3) Are the phenocrysts anhedral or euhedral - please explain why you think this?
4) Why do you think this material may have been used for the statue
5) Compulsory task: Include in your log a photograph of you, your GPS or another identifiable item near GZ, taking care not to include anything in the photo that may give away your answers.
Granite
Granite is a common type of igneous rock. Igneous rock is one of the three main rock types, the others being sedimentary and metamorphic. Igneous rock is formed through the cooling and solidification of magma or lava. Igneous rock may form with or without crystallisation either below the surface as intrusive (plutonic) rocks or on the surface as extrusive (volcanic) rocks.
It is composed mainly of three minerals: quartz, feldspar, and mica. These crystals form when magma, rich in dissolved minerals, cools slowly underground. As the magma cools, the minerals within it start to crystallise. However when the cooling process is gradual, the crystals have time to grow larger than the surrounding minerals creating phenocrysts, they contrast sharply in size with the enclosing groundmass; this implies a size ratio of at least about 5:1.
Phenocrysts provide valuable information about the conditions under which the rock formed and the history of volcanic activity in the area. Euhedral phenocrysts are characterised by well-defined crystal faces and sharp edges, indicating that they had enough space to grow freely within the magma before it solidified. On the other hand, anhedral phenocrysts lack distinct crystal faces and appear irregular in shape, suggesting that they formed in a confined space or in a rapidly cooling environment where crystal growth was hindered.
