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Geosite

This geosite is important for its palaeontology, structural geology, and the nature of the unconformity between the Upper Silurian and Carboniferous strata at the southern tip of the Netherton Anticline.

The site is a long roadside cutting behind a metal failing fence and features a dipping sequence of strata including Silurian Ludlow Bone Bed, Upper Ludlow Shales Group Whitcliffe Formation, Aymestry Limestone Formation and Carboniferous Pennine Lower coal Measures. This site is particularly important to geosciences in demonstrating the variability and diachronism of the basal beds of the Black Country Coalfield as it spread across older palaezoin landforms and links directly to comparable section at Saltwells Local Nature Reserve and Cotwall End Valley.

This site has considerable scientific importance and was used in a collaborative research project some 10 years previously with the Belfast Museum and the Ulster University and is currently of interest for research by the University of Birmingham. Access to the site is by agreement with the landowners and is within the remit of scientific enquiry. This site has potential to be a valuable site for geotourism and geoeducation and is being considered for the planned motor trail of the geology of the southern Black Country.

Geosite facilities

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Geosite The Red House Glass Cone is open from 10am to 3pm Monday to Friday, 11am to 4pm Saturday & Sunday. Admission is free. It has a gift shop, craft studios, coffee house and toilets on site. Free car parking is also available. The coffee house offers a hot and cold menu with drinks and seasonal foods.

The White House Cone Museum of Glass, the former home of Stuart Crystal and now opposite the Red House Glass Cone will open during 2020. It will house the glass collection for the borough and will be overseen by British Glass Foundation

Ruskin Glass Centre, formerly the site of and Webb Corbett and Royal Doulton Crystal is home to over 25 craft businesses, has an organic café and the Glass House Heritage Centre offers guided tours providing the history and heritage of the site. Ruskin Glass Centre is part of Ruskin Mill Land Trust who specialise in educating young people with learning disabilities through a craft and land based curriculum. Admission is free and the centre's opening hours are from 9.30am to 4pm Monday to Saturday.