Whitbread, K., Ellen, R., Callaghan, E., Gordon, J. E. and Arkley, S. 2015. East Lothian Geodiversity Audit. British Geological Survey Open Report, OR/14/063. 192pp.
ELC_12: Peppercraig Quarry, Haddington
Site information
Location and summary description:
The site comprises a small quarry located immediately north of the town of Haddington. The igneous rock of Carboniferous age extracted from the site was reportedly used to construct many of Haddington’s stone buildings. Now largely infilled, the quarry contains a small industrial park but exposures of the porphyritic trachyte remain in the back walls.
National Grid reference:
Mid-point:
Site ownership: Not known – Guy’s Garage forms part of the site.
Site type:
- Artificial quarry works
Current use:
- Disused
- Industrial land
Field surveyors: Sarah Arkley & Rachael Ellen
Current geological designations: None known
Date visited: 16th April, 2014
Other designations: None known
Site map
Site description
Background
Peppercraig Quarry lies on the northern outskirts of the town of Haddington, between the A1 to the north and the A199 to the south. The quarry is composed of a porphyritic trachyte, an ancient lava flow belonging to the Garleton Hills Volcanic Formation. Historically, rock from this quarry has been extracted for the construction of many of Haddington’s stone buildings
Volcanic rocks
The porphyritic trachyte exposed at the site is part of the trachytic lava and tuff sequence which comprise the Bangley Member (the uppermost or youngest part of the Garleton Hills Volcanic Formation). The porphyritic trachyte exposed at the site is part of a massive lava flow
Access and additional information
The site is accessed just north of the roundabout linking the A6137 and A199 in Haddington. The Peppercraig Industrial Estate has a car garage within it, and parking is possible nearby there without restricting access. At the time of visit, building contractors were actively on site, with permission required to gain entry. Once building work is complete the rock face will still be accessible, although it will be fenced off, impeding access to the exposure.
Stratigraphy and rock types
Age: Lower Carboniferous
Formation: Garleton Hills Volcanic Formation (Bangley Member) Rock type: Porphyritic trachyte
Assessment of site: access and safety
Road access and parking Located immediately north of Haddington, between the A1 and the A199, there is good road access directly into the site. Turn off the A6137, down a narrow metalled road into the Peppercraig Quarry Industrial Park, parking for a few cars can be found within the estate opposite a car servicing centre. Access to the quarry face is more difficult as it lies behind small industrial units/plots which are largely fenced off.
Safety of access The Quarry is largely infilled, floored by a concrete or rubble surface
Safety of exposure The remaining quarry face is low, less than 2m high, so there is little risk of material falling from a height, however, the rock is very weathered/fractured in places so care should be taken when observing the exposure close-up.
Access The quarry is now an industrial park, most of the quarry face area is fenced off.
Current condition Exposures are from the uppermost part of the former quarry and display weathered (rather than fresh) exposures of the trachyte which was worked. Annual vegetation growth may obscure the quarry face to some extent in the summer months.
Current conflicting activities None known, although any of the businesses located within the site could develop right up to the face or obscure it with stored materials.
Restricting conditions Due to the present industrial use of the site, gaining hands-on access to the quarry face may be difficult.
Nature of exposure Vertical quarry faces
Assessment of site: culture, heritage & economic value
Historic, archaeological & literary associations Historical Ordnance Survey maps record the quarry in existence as early as 1855; it is then shown on the 1895, 1908 and 1938 maps and assumed to be active during this time. Although a reference in The Geology of East Lothian publication (1910) indicates that the quarry was no longer used at that time.
Aesthetic landscape Old quarry on the outskirts of Haddington, revealing the underlying geology
History of earth sciences None known
Economic geology Former building stone and road metal quarry.
Assessment of site: geoscientific merit
| Rarity | Quality | Literature/collections | Primary interest | |
| Lithostratigraphy | ||||
| Sedimentology | ||||
| Igneous/mineral/metamorphic geology | Local | Poor | X | |
| Structural geology | ||||
| Palaeontology | ||||
| Geomorphology |
Site geoscientific value
The site provides access to poor quality exposures of porphyritic trachyte within the Peppercraig Quarry. The biggest attraction of this site is its historical connection to the building stones of Haddington, therefore despite having a low rating in rarity and quality this site is important to the heritage of East Lothian.
Peppercraig Quarry provides a poor example of Carboniferous extrusive volcanic rock, with local significance. However, the overall site has important historical associations with the building stones of Haddington.
Assessment of site: current site usage
Community Quarry is located on the outskirts of Haddington and has been redeveloped as a small industrial park with 3 or 4 local businesses occupying the site. The site is probably only frequented by proprietors and clients of these businesses and it is likely that quarry is currently rarely or never visited for its geological interest or historical/economic associations.
Education As the rock extracted from the quarry was used to construct many of Haddington’s stone buildings, the site should be of interest to any local school or group investigating the history of the town.
Assessment of site: fragility and potential use of the site
Fragility Natural overgrowth, Likelihood of development
Potential use Include within local history information/leaflets
Geodiversity summary
The main value of this site is its economic/cultural association with Haddington. There are numerous exposures and even quarries in the local area revealing the same porphyritic trachyte seen here, However the local town of Haddington is recorded to have been largely built of the igneous material extracted from Peppercraig Quarry. Haddington is one of the main towns in East Lothian and this link gives the site increased significance.