Sandpit Hole and Bishop's Lot
Encyclopedia
Sandpit Hole and Bishop's Lot is a 1.8 hectare
geological Site of Special Scientific Interest near Ebbor Gorge
in Somerset
, notified in 1987.
This site consists of two of the largest isolated depressions, known as dolines
, occurring in the Mendip
limestone
area, and both appear to have been formed by the limestones being dissolved by subterranean waters and the overlying rocks then collapsing into them.
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
geological Site of Special Scientific Interest near Ebbor Gorge
Ebbor Gorge
Ebbor Gorge is a limestone gorge in Somerset, England, close to Wells, designated as a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in the Mendip Hills, notified in 1952....
in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, notified in 1987.
This site consists of two of the largest isolated depressions, known as dolines
Sinkhole
A sinkhole, also known as a sink, shake hole, swallow hole, swallet, doline or cenote, is a natural depression or hole in the Earth's surface caused by karst processes — the chemical dissolution of carbonate rocks or suffosion processes for example in sandstone...
, occurring in the Mendip
Mendip
Mendip is a local government district of Somerset in England. The Mendip district covers a largely rural area of ranging from the Mendip Hills through on to the Somerset Levels. It has a population of approximately 110,000...
limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
area, and both appear to have been formed by the limestones being dissolved by subterranean waters and the overlying rocks then collapsing into them.
Source
- English Nature citation sheet for the site (accessed 10 August 2006)
External links
- English Nature website (SSSI information)