Quarry Wood, Hinstock
Encyclopedia
Quarry Wood nature reserve is a 7 acres (28,328 m²) woodland on the west side of the A41 road
at Hinstock
in Shropshire
that is managed by the Shropshire Wildlife Trust
. Oak
, birch
and occasional hornbeam
grow alongside swathes of rhododendron
. The sandstone
cliffs were formed in the Triassic
period, around 220 million years ago, when this part of the country was hot and dry and dinosaurs were first emerging.
The quarry may have provided the stone for the tower of St Oswald's church in the village and also some of the older houses, though quarrying ceased in the 1890s.
The wood once provided cover for vast flocks of roosting thrushes
and finch
es and, between 1966 and 1985, around 20,000 birds were ringed there. These birds no longer roost in such numbers, but the wood is home to a variety of birds including jay
s, tits, nuthatch
es, woodpecker
s and other common woodland birds.
A41 road
The A41 is a formerly-major trunk road in England that links London and Birkenhead, although it has now largely been superseded by motorways. It passes through or near various towns and cities including Watford, Hemel Hempstead, Aylesbury, Solihull, Birmingham, West Bromwich, Wolverhampton,...
at Hinstock
Hinstock
Hinstock is a village and civil parish in Shropshire, England.It appeared in the Domesday book survey as "Stoche" ; the present version of its name was created in the mediaeval period by prefixing Middle English hine .Hinstock is approximately halfway between the market towns of Newport and Market...
in Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
that is managed by the Shropshire Wildlife Trust
Shropshire Wildlife Trust
The Shropshire Wildlife Trust is a wildlife trust covering the geographic county of Shropshire, England.-Nature reserves:The trust cares for, or is associated with, 42 nature reserves in the county:...
. Oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
, birch
Birch
Birch is a tree or shrub of the genus Betula , in the family Betulaceae, closely related to the beech/oak family, Fagaceae. The Betula genus contains 30–60 known taxa...
and occasional hornbeam
Hornbeam
Hornbeams are relatively small hardwood trees in the genus Carpinus . Though some botanists grouped them with the hazels and hop-hornbeams in a segregate family, Corylaceae, modern botanists place the hornbeams in the birch subfamily Coryloideae...
grow alongside swathes of rhododendron
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
. The sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
cliffs were formed in the Triassic
Triassic
The Triassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about 250 to 200 Mya . As the first period of the Mesozoic Era, the Triassic follows the Permian and is followed by the Jurassic. Both the start and end of the Triassic are marked by major extinction events...
period, around 220 million years ago, when this part of the country was hot and dry and dinosaurs were first emerging.
The quarry may have provided the stone for the tower of St Oswald's church in the village and also some of the older houses, though quarrying ceased in the 1890s.
The wood once provided cover for vast flocks of roosting thrushes
Thrush (bird)
The thrushes, family Turdidae, are a group of passerine birds that occur worldwide.-Characteristics:Thrushes are plump, soft-plumaged, small to medium-sized birds, inhabiting wooded areas, and often feed on the ground or eat small fruit. The smallest thrush may be the Forest Rock-thrush, at and...
and finch
Finch
The true finches are passerine birds in the family Fringillidae. They are predominantly seed-eating songbirds. Most are native to the Northern Hemisphere, but one subfamily is endemic to the Neotropics, one to the Hawaiian Islands, and one subfamily – monotypic at genus level – is found...
es and, between 1966 and 1985, around 20,000 birds were ringed there. These birds no longer roost in such numbers, but the wood is home to a variety of birds including jay
Jay
The jays are several species of medium-sized, usually colorful and noisy, passerine birds in the crow family Corvidae. The names jay and magpie are somewhat interchangeable, and the evolutionary relationships are rather complex...
s, tits, nuthatch
Nuthatch
The nuthatches are a genus, Sitta, of small passerine birds belonging to the family Sittidae. Characterised by large heads, short tails, and powerful bills and feet, nuthatches advertise their territory using loud, simple songs...
es, woodpecker
Woodpecker
Woodpeckers are near passerine birds of the order Piciformes. They are one subfamily in the family Picidae, which also includes the piculets and wrynecks. They are found worldwide and include about 180 species....
s and other common woodland birds.