Ham Hill Country Park is one of the most important geological localities in Somerset because the rock type found here is so unique. The warm golden Hamstone, a Jurassic shelley limestone, has many special features and is one of the reasons for Ham Hill's exciting past and it's current habitats.
Hamstone is a limestone composed of crushed up fragments of shells and other sea creatures, all cemented together by calcium carbonate. The fossils found in the rock include ammonites, which date the stone to 170 million years ago - the Jurassic period. The distinctive golden colour comes from iron compounds present in the rock.
There is open access to several old quarry faces on Ham Hill, some of which are part of the Regionally Important Geological Site (RIGS) and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) designations. To see the full extent of the SSSI area at Ham Hill, visit Natural England's SSSI website These important designations ensure that the Hamstone is preserved for many years to come, and allows geologists and palaentologists to study it.
To find out more about the fascinating geology of Ham Hill, have a look at the information in the links below, which include plenty of illustrations and photos. There is also a free booklet that is available from the Ham Hill Centre and the Heritage and Tourist Information Centre in Yeovil called Ham Hill: the rocks and quarries, written by local geologist and one of Ham Hill's dedicated volunteers, Hugh Prudden.
