Ketton Quarry fossils and fossil collecting |
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 You need to head towards the geological trail at Ketton Quarry.
From the main road from Stamford through Ketton (A6121), following past the large Castle Cement works which is the main entrance to the quarry.
Turn down the Ketton Business Park road, follow this all the way down and you will see a small car park on the left to the Geological Trail with entrance to the quarry ahead past the Geological trail.
This is a working quarry, you will need permission to enter.
GRID REF: 52.64546°N, 0.55856°W |
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Ammonites, shells, corals, echinoids, sharks teeth, bones and dinosaur footprints |
Ketton Quarry is over a mile wide, its size has to be seen to be believed. The Oolite here is packed with ammonites, corals, brachiopods, bivalves, fish and reptile remains and much more. This is a superb location to visit. |
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Not for children
Children are not allowed at this location due to health and safety law of working quarries.
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Fair Access
The quarry is so large that you cannot miss it, but it is easy to get lost once inside the quarry!
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Working Quarry
This is one of the biggest working quarries in the UK and is one mile long! You will need permission to enter. |
Permission Required
Castle Cement do cater for group visits arranged on prior notice basis, normally outside the working hours of the quarry which generally operates 7am - 3pm Monday to Friday. Any enquiries to arrange visits should be addressed to the Quarry Manager at Ketton Works location address.
Castle Cement Ltd, Ketton Works, Ketton, Stamford
Lincolnshire, PE9 3SX |
Extreme care must be taken at all times, huge vehicles (some large enough for a small car to drive right under it!....often move at speed around the quarry, please keep away from all vehicles. Blastings is also done regularly and this combined with the high cliff faces makes collecting from the base or from these faces very dangerous. Collect from the scree and rocks around the quarry floor, you will have more chance of finding them here. |
| Last updated: |
2010 |
| last visited: |
2003 |
| Written by: |
Alister and Alison Cruickshanks |
 
You will need a heavy hammer for the Oolite and a pick and knife for the clay, fossils are fragile and should be wrapped well and placed into containers. Hard Hats, High Visibility Jackets and Steel Toe Caps are essential, Goggles recommended.
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Grange Top is a disused part of Ketton Quarry that has an open access Geological Trail. If you cannot get permission for Ketton, its worth a visit.
Other locations that have Oolite are Burton Bradstock in Dorset, 'Gilberts Grave' in Glouchestershire and On the Isle of Skye, Bearreraig Bay also has Inferior Oolite.
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A huge quarry, miles of opportunities for collecting fossils in many different beds, everything from the Oolite series to Oxford Clay. Gypsum is also quite common here. Ketton Quarry also contains one of the most fascinating faults of its kind in the UK and is likely to soon have SSSI status.
Ketton Quarry is too big to completely cover in one trip, it is several miles wide and is still growing. The best area to search in is the Blisworth Limestone, part of the Oolite series. Both the Great and Inferior oolite is present at Ketton Quarry. The best area to go is to follow the track around to the right past the vehicles from the continue area, then turn left and follow the track round and up a steep hill so that you are at the Left end of the quarry from the entrance. Follow it down to the end and the Blisworth Limestone starts ahead of you. Ammonites can be found, but shells, corals, echinoids and sharks teeth and bones are more common. Dinosaur footprints are also quite common along with fragments of bone.
Searching for fossils at Ketton Quarry
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Jurassic, 170mya |
At Ketton Quarry, the Great and Inferior Oolite makes up the bulk of the beds. The exact name of the limestone is the Blisworth Limestone. At the top of the beds is the Blisworth Clay.
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Stone Tumblers |
Microscopes |
Test Sieves for Microfossils |
If you are interested in fossil collecting, then you may also be interested in a stone tumbler (Lapidary). You can polish stones and rocks from the beach which will look fantastic polished using a stone tumbler.
You can polish rough rock and beach glass whilst collecting fossils, on those days where you come back empty handed. These are all high quality machines to give a professional finish to your samples. They can even be used for amber and fossils. |
At most locations, you can find microfossils. You only need a small sample of the sand. You then need to wash it in water and sieve using a test sieve. Once the sand is processed, you can then view the contents using a microscope.
We have a wide range of microscopes for sale, you will need a Stereomicroscope for viewing microfossils. The best one we sell is the IMXZ, but a basic microscope will be fine. Once you have found microfossils, you will need to store these microfossils.
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Test Sieves are used when searching for microfossils. Microfossils can be found in many locations, and all you need is a small amount of sample such as clays, sands and shales, or if you have acid, limestone, oolite or chalk.
Our UKGE Store sells Endecotts Test Sieves, which are the highest in accuracy and extremely durable and long lasting. These Test Sieves are fantastic for microfossils. Endecotts Test Sieves come in a variety of sizes, frame material and types, they are certificated to EU Standards. |
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