Kingswood Chasm Cleared of Trees but not of bits of Metal

Don’t know why it came into my head, but working at Kingswood Chasm (just off Martley Footpath click MT687C to go to the map, choose Martley parish, then MT6876 and use zoom arrow on left of map as required) one of the society’s new sites, was a little like collecting puffins on St Kilda with the cast of Last of the Summer Wine.

Well sort of–precipitous slopes slippy as a skating rink, cliffs, waterfall and old guys having fun, breaking all the health and safety rules (no-one could see us) and doing a good job. What is there here you may ask?  Certainly the best exposure of Coalbrookdale limestone in the district, (see here how it fits into the Silurian-Wenlock range, half way down the page), part of the Wenlock sequence of around 423-428 Ma it is characterized by these types of fossils and we have indeed found some there.  Thanks to the Bray family for access to this site and for their great assistance in the clearance operations.  Nearby we will erect an Interpretation Board that will explain the broad view across the Teme to the Bromyard plateau and the local very noticeable slippage of land downhill towards the river.  The stream bed that we have been clearing is a slash in the hillside, draining as it does an area of flatter land, reddish soils, east across the East Malvern Fault towards the Nubbins and the village.  The water cuts its way into limestone found more or less continuously from the Abberley Hills, Penny Hill, to Ankerdine and beyond–all Wenlock series with a variety of formations on display at different points.  Our aim is to make the exposure more visible and establish a permissive loop path from the right of way, closer to the rocks, so that visitors can enjoy the feature.  We need to emphasise that more work is required, including a proper pathway and even then, walkers will have to proceed at their own risk over extremely steep and slippy slopes.

Memorable Rainbow nr Kingswood Chasm