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The language of the quarryman
At the same time that scientists were beginning to differentiate and name rock units, the quarrymen working deep in the mines underneath Wren’s Nest would have developed their own naming system for the rocks they encountered. Working by candlelight, their names would have been based on basic features and the look of the rock. Experienced [...]
Posted in Fossils, General, Local Geology, Rocks
Tagged Black Country, Dudley, Mining, Wrens Nest
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Birth of the Black Country
Why does geology matter to the Black Country? In this blog we investigate the historical importance of the area in relation to the mineral wealth below the ground, and the early pioneers who began the industrial development. The Black Country is an area located just to the northwest of Birmingham right at the heart of [...]
Posted in General, Local Geology
Tagged Abraham Darby, BCGS, Black Country, Canals, Dud Dudley, Dudley, Geology, Limestone, Minerals, mines, Mining, Places, Rocks, Seven Sisters, Step Shaft, Wrens Nest
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Shropshire Six Summits Challenge 2011, now with added rocks!
Last weekend on Saturday 18th June 2011, I was part of a team which walked 36 miles over the six highest summits in Shropshire to raise money for the local search and rescue team known as the Severn Area Rescue Association, Wyre Forest Station. Along the gruelling journey we passed over some astounding geological formations. [...]
Posted in Activities and Events, General, Guest Blogs, Local Geology
Tagged Activities, Coal mining, Earth history, Geology, Mining, Places, Rocks, Shropshire, Walking
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Stabilizing the mine entrance to the Seven Sisters
Graham Worton the current curator and Keeper of Geology at Dudley Museum & Art Gallery tells us about recent engineering work undertaken in the summer of 2010 to stabalise the Seven Sisters mine entrance and why this work was needed.
Posted in Local Geology
Tagged Dudley, Engineering, mines, Mining, Seven Sisters, Video, Wrens Nest
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Geology Matters Launch Event
Last Thursday saw me pulling on my walking boots to join a group of geology enthusiasts on a tour of three sites in the Black Country, chosen to illustrate the geological diversity of the area. The sites were Barr Beacon, Barrow Hill and Dudley’s’ Limestone Mines. Although I have lived on the edge of the [...]
Posted in Activities and Events, General, Guest Blogs, Local Geology
Tagged Activities, Canals, Dudley, Earth history, Geology, Igneous rocks, Limestone, mines, Mining, Murchison, Places, Rocks
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The Seven Sisters mines and the Black Country miners
Graham Worton the current curator and Keeper of Geology at Dudley Museum & Art Gallery tells us about the Seven Sisters mine at the Wrens Nest, Dudley and how the mined rock was used to build structures such as Dudley Castle. Graham also explains the life of a miner and the methods the miners would have [...]
Posted in Local Geology
Tagged Dudley, Miners, mines, Mining, Seven Sisters, Video, Wrens Nest
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The last Black Country coal
Here Graham Worton, the Keeper of Geology at Dudley Museums and Art Gallery, shows us one of the last pieces of coal to be mined in the Black Country. It was brought to the surface in March 1968 from a depth of 2160 feet below the surface and represents the end of Black Country mining.