Craggy tors lining the ridge instantly identify the Stiperstones.
The Stiperstones ridge consists almost entirely of quartz-arenite sandstone that
was deposited originally in shallow water, littoral or beach conditions. It was
later cemented by quartz in solution to form the hard quartzite rock.
To the west of the ridge, the Stiperstones Quartzite Formation is overlain by the
Mytton Flags Formation. The Mytton flags were heavily mineralised. There is evidence
that lead was mined here by the Romans and that lead (galena), zinc (sphalerite) and
barium (barite) supported a highly successful industry in the nineteenth and early
twentieth centuries.
In the late 1800s Britain was the largest producer of lead in Europe and the mine
at nearby Snailbeach had a higher output than any other mine; accounting for an
estimated 10% of UK output. The Hope Valley, to the west of Stiperstones was dotted
with lead mines, some very successful, others speculative failures. Evidence of
this industry is still visible today in numerous spoil heaps, ruined engine houses,
chimneys and capped mine shafts.
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The mineralisation of the Mytton Flags has not been conclusively proved. One theory is
that it may have been due to Scottish granite being carried south as pollution,
dumped in Shropshire and then deposited in cracks in the rocks by relatively low
temperature (around 100-200 degrees Centigrade) hydro-thermal action.
For a more detailed study of this area it is recommended that the reader consult
the following:-
Geologists' Association Guide No.27 "The Geology of South Shropshire" by M. Allbutt,
J. Moseley, C. Rayner and P. Toghill.
"The Shropshire Lead Mines" by Fred Booth and Martin Allbutt.
One theory is that Stiperstones was layed down in the Ordovician as a sandy beach
and that the sand grains were later cemented together by quartz in solution to form
a very hard quartzite rock.
If this were so one would expect to find, as evidence of a beach,
Pebbles
Invertebrate tubes or burrows, and
Ripples caused by ebb and flow
Quartz intrusion, pebbles and burrows can be easily found in the scattered rocks
of the ridge path, as the pictures below show:-
The GA guide No.27 reports that evidence of ripples is common on bedding surfaces,
with amplitudes of 5 - 10cm and wavelengths of 50 - 90cm, though these may be difficult to find.
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