Top Grange Quarry fossils and fossil collecting |
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This old quarry is overgrown, but the Blisworth Limestone is so rich in fossils, that in spite of this, you can still find good fossils by searching the loose rocks along the quarry floor.
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Older children
This geological trail, is suitable for older children and families. Please take care during the spring and summer as the quarry is also home to Adders, These mostly are around the start of the trail and parking area.
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Loose Rocks
Fossils are found by searching the loose rocks along the geological trail. Although hammering the bedrock is not permitted, you can still hammer loose rocks. |
Geological Trail
This is a geological Trail, and free for anyone to visit. Parking is provided at the start of the trail.
The only restrictions is that hammering the bedrock is not permitted. The tnsitu rock is a the start of the quarry and must not be touched, but the rest of the trail contains loose material.
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This old quarry has been made into a geological trail. It is fairly safe providing you follow common sense. The only danger to look out for is snakes in the summer. Both the parking area and trail is full of Adders, and whilst they are often harmless, if you happen to pick up rocks where one is situation it could bite and become fatal in rare cases. |
| Last updated: |
2011 |
| last visited: |
2011 |
| Written by: |
Alister and Alison Cruickshanks |
 
You will need a hammer for the Oolite, fossils are fragile and should be wrapped well and placed into containers.
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This old quarry is the disused part of Ketton Quarry. You can also visit Ketton Quarry, but permission is normally only given for group visits such as societies.
Other locations that have Oolite are Burton Bradstock in Dorset, 'Gilberts Grave' in Glouchestershire and On the Isle of Skye, Bearreraig Bay also has Inferior Oolite.
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Top Grange Geological Trail is the disused part of the famous Ketton Quarry. Ketton Quarry is a huge quarry over 1 mile long. The working part of Ketton Quarry, covered in another guide requires permission normally, only given to geological societies for group visits. But this trail was preserved by Stamford Geological Society, and anyone is free to visit.
When you first get to the quarry, you can see a cliff face of Blisworth Limestone, this must not be touched. Continue along the trail and you will walk down a slope into two parts of the old disused quarry. Taking the left side, will take you to lots of loose rocks to look through. You will also notice Blisworth Clay around the site which has slipped.
The loose rocks are Blisworth Limestone and can contain, ammonites can be brachiopods, bivalves, gastropods, corals, echinoid's and sharks teeth and bones. The site doesn't look very promising, but the rocks are rich in fossils. When we visited this site, within ten minutes, we started finding fossils.
Blisworth Limestone (Oolite)
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Jurassic, 170mya |
This old quarry is now very overgrown, and it is not possible to identify distinct beds. However, the Blisworth Limestone can be seen all around the quarry in scree and loose rocks. At the start of the trail, a part of the cliff face has been left to show the red. The Blisworth clay can be seen slipped around the quarry.
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Stone Tumblers |
Microscopes |
Test Sieves for Microfossils |
If you are interested in fossil collecting, then you may also be interested in a stone tumbler (Lapidary). You can polish stones and rocks from the beach which will look fantastic polished using a stone tumbler.
You can polish rough rock and beach glass whilst collecting fossils, on those days where you come back empty handed. These are all high quality machines to give a professional finish to your samples. They can even be used for amber and fossils. |
At most locations, you can find microfossils. You only need a small sample of the sand. You then need to wash it in water and sieve using a test sieve. Once the sand is processed, you can then view the contents using a microscope.
We have a wide range of microscopes for sale, you will need a Stereomicroscope for viewing microfossils. The best one we sell is the IMXZ, but a basic microscope will be fine. Once you have found microfossils, you will need to store these microfossils.
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Test Sieves are used when searching for microfossils. Microfossils can be found in many locations, and all you need is a small amount of sample such as clays, sands and shales, or if you have acid, limestone, oolite or chalk.
Our UKGE Store sells Endecotts Test Sieves, which are the highest in accuracy and extremely durable and long lasting. These Test Sieves are fantastic for microfossils. Endecotts Test Sieves come in a variety of sizes, frame material and types, they are certificated to EU Standards. |
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From Ketton, take the minor road to the west out of the town towards Rutland Water.
