Devon County Geological Site

Site reference no. SY09SE2 Name: Foxenholes Gravel Pit

District: East Devon Parish: Ottery St Mary

National grid ref: 077946 OS sheets: 1:50k 1:25k 1315 1:10k SY09SE GS 1:50k GridRef x y Lat Long SY077946 307700 94600 50.743645 -3.3095385

Locality description (address): Foxenholes Gravel Pit, Mill Plantation, Ottery St Mary. North of the B3177 2km WSW of Ottery St Mary

Nature of site: Gravel pit (D) large, mainly reinstated but with some exposure remaining

Geological / geomorphological features: Remains of faces rather degraded and overgrown at the SW and SE ends of the pit. Eastern face shows about 7m of buff sand interbedded with pebble beds on a 2-3m scale, and is probably the lower part of the Otter Sandstone. It is mainly covered by tallus to about half its height. The western face shows about 7m of Budleigh Salterton Pebble bed with a single 0.5m sand bed. The lower part of the face is covered with tallus. The pebble varieties are typical.

Reasons for registration as a Regionally Important Geological / Geomorphological Site:

Site sensitivity: None

Safety: Generally safe

Interest groups: Schools. Years 5-11: Years 12-16: Years 17-18. University. Undergraduate - Research Professional geologists - Amateur geologists - General public.

Access and Parking: Access through original quarry entrance (gated). Limited parking at entrance.

Date of assessment (V = visited) : V 6th June 1996 R T Taylor

Site owner : ?Bardon Aggregates

Other comments: The remaining faces could be cleared and restored for geological puposes without interfering with, or detracting from the reinstatement of the main pit. Access to the faces can be arranged without interfering with the future agricultural and woodland use of the area. However neither face seems likely, as far as can be seen, to show the excellent range of geological features so clearly displayed in Beggars Roost Quarry, even if cleared. The junction between the Otter Sandstone and the Budleigh Salterton Pebble Beds with the associated deflation surface and ventifacts is not exposed, nor is the range of sedimentological features, or the faulting. The eastern face now contains an inhabited badger set which would necessarily be disturbed by any work to restore the geological value of the face. As an alternative CGS to Beggars Roost, Foxenholes comes a poor second. It could be considered as an alternative as last resort.

References: EDWARDS, R.A. and SMITH, S.A., 1989. Budleigh Salterton Pebble Beds and Otter Sandstone Boundary in East Devon. British Geological Survey Technical Report. WA/89/97. British Geological Survey, Exeter. EDWARDS, R.A., 1990. Geology of the West Hill District (Sheet SY09SE). British Geological Survey Technical Report. WA/90/1. British Geological Survey, Exeter. SMITH, S.A. AND EDWARDS, R. A., 1991. Regional Sedimentological variations in Lower Triassic fluvial conglomerates (Budleigh Salterton Pebble Beds), south west England: some implications for palaeogeography and basin evolution. Geological Journal, Vol. 26, pp. 68-83.