Rifle Butts Quarry Nature Reserve

The particular interest of this reserve is the geological feature exposed on the quarry face. The exposure, of national importance, shows a Cretaceous unconformity, where sediments from the Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous periods were eroded away! In the late Cretaceous period the sea once again covered the area depositing red and then white chalk. Compared to other areas in North Yorkshire some 1000 metres of sedimentary rock is missing from the Rifle Butts sequence. A shelter has been constructed to protect the quarry face from erosion.

Prior to the Trust acquiring Rifle Butts Quarry in 1964, the site was used as a rifle range until the Second World War. The old target marker pit has been filled in with topsoil and as a result winter aconite, comfrey, giant bellflower, sweet cicely and leopard’s-bane were introduced to the reserve. The quarry may have provided chalk to build the railway line from Market Weighton to Beverley. Chalk was also used to build the embankments along the 12 mile route, now called the Hudson Way.

Over 150 plants have been recorded on this small reserve, which still displays some characteristic chalk species, including cowslip, marjoram, field scabious and wild basil. Breeding birds include willow warbler and yellowhammer. Ringlet and common blue butterflies breed on the reserve.

The Trust works to protect the rock exposure and the chalk grassland. Hawthorn and elder scrub is removed from the most important grassland areas and the grassland is maintained by mowing once a year and raking the hay. The Cottingham Wildlife Watch Group help with many of the reserves conservation tasks.

Directions

The reserve is situated on the western edge of the Yorkshire Wolds one mile south-east of Goodmanham and two miles from Market Weighton.

From Market Weighton take the minor road east-north-east towards Kiplingcotes turning sharp left towards Goodmanham about one-and-a-half miles down this road. The reserve is on the right about 300 yards from the junction.