Arkley, S. L. B., Browne, M. A. E., Albornoz-Parra, L. J. and Barron, H. F. 2011. East Dumbartonshire Geodiversity Audit. British Geological Survey Open Report, OR/09/19. 265pp.
EDC 12: Barraston Quarry, Barraston Farm
Grid reference:
Site type: Artificial quarry works
Site ownership: Not known
Current use: Disused
Field surveyor: Sarah Arkley & Luis Albornoz-Parra
Current geological designations: None
Date visited: 9th March 2009
Site map
Summary description
Disused mudstone quarry, formerly used for the manufacture of bricks.
The mudstone beds are part of the Lower Limestone Formation, located between the Hurlet Limestone and Blackhall Limestone.
The quarry is degraded, overgrown and largely flooded. Small friable outcrops through black mudstones containing ironstone bands area seen to the north and west of the quarry. Burnt mudstone waste piles exist to the north. Extensive searching for outcrops of the limestone drew a blank, Robertson, 1937 mentioned outcrops now “much obscured”. Few blocks of blue-grey limestone with crinoid fragments found lying around (?Blackhall Limestone).
The mudstones in the lower part of the Lower Limestone Formation are generally barren or only yield ostracods, fish debris or Curvirimula (Hall et al, 1998). However specimens of gastropods and bivalves are recorded from here (Strathclyde RIGS designation form). Clayband ironstones on the other hand are abundant in this part of the sequence, north of the Clyde these were known as the Campsie Clayband Ironstones and were worked at Barraston (Robertson, 1937).
Flooded quarry provides wetland habitat which currently has a population of great crested newts (Strathclyde RIGS designation form).
EDC 12: Stratigraphy and rock types
Age: Lower Carboniferous Formation: Lower Limestone Formation
Rock type: Sedimentary Rock Cycles of the Clackmannan Group Type
Age: Lower Carboniferous Formation: Blackhall Limestone, Lower Limestone Formation
Rock type: Limestone
Assessment of site value
Access and safety
Aspect/Description
Road access and parking Small layby at entrance to quarried area off tarmac country road. Quarry itself is largely flooded
Safety of access Around flooded area the quarry is pretty densely wooded, mainly with very spikey hawthorn. Muddy and uneven ground makes walking very difficult to relatively poor outcrops.
Safety of exposure Degraded quarry faces appear stable, low ground is very wet
Permission to visit No permission sought
Current condition Many of the quarry faces are well degraded
Current conflicting activities None
Restricting conditions Difficult access
Nature of exposure Quarry and stream sections
Culture, heritage & economic
Historic, archaeological & literary associations None known. Rating: 0.
Aesthetic landscape Old quarry, part flooded and densely wooded. Rating: 2.
History of earth sciences None known. Rating: 0.
Economic geology Mudstone for brick manufacture. Rating: 3.
EDC 12: Geoscientific merit
Total Geoscientific merit score 24
Current site value
Community Worn footpath from the layby to the loch suggests people do visit. Rating: 6.
Education Mudstone was worked extensively here. Typical example of a 3 disused quarry; displaying features such as disturbed ground, waste material, small sections through the worked material, flooding, no restoration. Site could be compared with an active quarry where operators now have to restore the worked area to how it appeared previously. Difficult access devalues this site. Rating: 3.
Fragility and potential use of the site
Fragility Erosion, Natural Overgrowth, Development
Potential use School, Multidisciplinary
Geodiversity value
There are few places in East Dunbartonshire where such a large volume of mudstone has been removed/processed as seen at this site. Although the remaining quarry faces are much degraded and access is poor to this site, valuable information about our industrial past can be gained from this locality. However, the main value of this site is how a disused quarry left to nature can over time create a valuable habitat for wildlife.