King Barrow Quarry
King Barrow Quarry is a disused site of former 19th century stone quarries on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, England. It is located in the north-east corner of Tophill. The quarry, now a Dorset Wildlife Trust nature reserve, covers 12.2 hectares.[1] Both King Barrow and the nearby Tout Quarry make up the Dorset Wildlife Trust's Portland Quarries Nature Park. Portland also has two butterfly reserves: Broadcroft Quarry and Perryfield Quarry.
History and Nature Reserve status
[edit]The site is based on former quarries that were abandoned 100 years ago. In the nineteenth century there was extensive quarrying in the area.[2] When the area was first quarried, huge numbers of Roman artifacts were discovered.[3] Since being abandoned the area had been left to regenerate naturally, with the aid of scrub management.[4]
Since around 2004 the quarry became a nature reserve after the site owners handed the quarry over to the Dorset Wildlife Trust.[5] The quarry then became known as King Barrow Quarries Nature Reserve.[6]
Within the quarry are relics of past industrial activities, including blocks of cut stone and a quarryman's shelter. Pieces of tramway track and a tunnel remain from the horse-drawn tramway that had transported the stone to the Merchant's Railway.
Wildlife
[edit]The quarry's rocky slopes, grassy pockets and sheltered gullies are all havens for wildlife, and therefore features a wide range of plants and animals, hosting flora and fauna specific to limestone soil.[7] Described as one of Portland's prime nature habitats,[8] the thin limestone soils have been slowly colonised by a variety of wildflowers. King Barrow Quarries is particularly known for its blue butterflies and bird species.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Powered by Intergage www.intergage.co.uk (11 October 2012). "King Barrow Quarries: a Dorset Wildlife Trust reserve". Dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
- ^ "Isle of Portland Quarries - Geology by Ian West". Southampton.ac.uk. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
- ^ "New Ground and Tillycoombe, Portland, Dorset". Geoffkirby.co.uk. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
- ^ Historic England. "Monument No. 1466201". Research records (formerly PastScape). Retrieved 5 October 2015.
- ^ "Temporary truce agreed for quarry (From Dorset Echo)". Dorsetecho.co.uk. 3 September 2003. Archived from the original on 13 December 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
- ^ "BBC - Butterflies thrive on disused Portland quarry site". BBC News. 4 June 2010. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
- ^ "Dorset 2010 day four". Renewton.plus.com. 18 October 2010. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
- ^ Powered by Intergage www.intergage.co.uk (11 October 2012). "Keep warm with wildlife work". Dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk. Retrieved 23 January 2013.