Coombefield Quarry, Limestone quarry on Isle of Portland, England
Coombefield Quarry is a limestone extraction site on the Isle of Portland divided into two operational sections, North and South. The southern area holds substantial reserves of whitbed and basebed stone that are extracted using modern quarrying methods.
Quarrying operations began here in 1951 when planning approval allowed modern extraction methods across the limestone-rich landscape of Portland. The site has continued to operate under successive permissions that extend well into the future.
The Portland stone extracted here was used to build many significant British buildings that still stand today. Visitors can observe how the stone varies in color and texture across the quarry walls, showing why it became so valued for construction.
This quarry is actively managed by Portland Stone Firms Ltd using contemporary extraction equipment and techniques. Visitors should be aware this is a working industrial site where access may be restricted or limited to designated areas.
In 2009 a fossilized dinosaur footprint approximately 135 million years old was discovered at the quarry, drawing significant public attention. This finding reveals the site's importance for paleontology and suggests that additional ancient traces may remain hidden beneath the current extraction work.
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