Gripwood Quarry

Gripwood Quarry (grid reference ST822603) is a 2.9 hectare geological Site of Special Scientific Interest at Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire, England, notified in 1951.

The quarry lies in a field to the south west of the Bradford-on-Avon Tithe Barn, on the south side of the River Avon. It cuts into Oolitic limestone and has a wall in the middle creating an upper and a lower quarry, last used for mushroom growing. The walls are whitewashed and there is a large wooden crane.

Aliases

• Jones Hill Quarry – name used by Wiltshire Council.
• Bradford-on-Avon 9 – name given by Mendip Cave Rescue.
• Ruins – the older lower section was known by this name by the mushroom workers.
• ST86SW468 – SMR number, Wiltshire and Swindon Sites and Monument Record Search.
• Woodside Quarry – Gripwood was the underground and Woodside the opencast; the name Woodside sometimes applies to both.

Sources

• Natural England citation sheet for the site (accessed 1 April 2022)

External links

• Natural England website (SSSI information)
• MCRA Resource
• https://www.darkplaces.co.uk/phpbb/wiki.php?wakka=GripwoodQuarry (login required)