Birmingham’s Erratic Boulders: Heritage of the Ice Age!

This project aims to engage the public with visible heritage of the Ice Age that can be seen in SW Birmingham and NE Worcestershire. These are large boulders, up to three metres across, transported by ice – hence “glacial erratics”.

“The project has been made possible by an award of £112,800 (95% of project costs) from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and it runs for 18 months from July 2021. The award is to a partnership of four organisations Herefordshire and Worcestershire Earth Heritage Trust (lead), the Black Country Geological Society, Birmingham Open Spaces Forum and the Lapworth Museum of Geology. These organisations are responsible for maintaining knowledge of landscape features and geology in our region and promoting the use of public open spaces.”

“At the beginning of the 20th century, hundreds of boulders moved by ice (erratics) were known in the area, mostly volcanic rocks from north Wales, but also including hard rock from Rowley Regis. Now we know of only four dozen survivors including clusters in Kings Norton, Bournville, Frankley, Romsley, Bromsgrove and Cotteridge and Selly Oak Parks, and a lone boulder in Cannon Hill Park. One of the project aims is to engage the public in finding some of the boulders that have been lost and discovering some geology in the process, for example by coming to see displays and a concluding exhibition at the Lapworth Museum of Geology at the University of Birmingham. The Lapworth will also be hosting many school groups, including those with boulders within walking distance.”

For more information about this project, and also to apply for the new Project Manager/Volunteer Coordinator job opportunity, please visit: http://earthheritagetrust.org