Cultural heritage

Wren's Nest National Nature Reserve and Castle Hill, Dudley – Linking geodiversity, cultural heritage and the local community

Graham Worton
Keeper of Geology, Dudley Museum and Art Gallery
http://www.dudley.gov.uk/tourism/parks/natureres_
wnnnr.htm

Introduction

Wren's Nest Hill was declared a national Nature Reserve for its geology and palaeontology in September 1956 and now encompasses some 101 acres of quarries, mines, woodland and open space. It is one of the most famous geological sites in the UK because of its beautifully preserved middle Silurian marine invertebrate fossils. The site, however, is not out in the open countryside, but is surrounded by housing estates and only a few hundred metres to the north of the busy town centre of Dudley. It is an island of green in an otherwise urban landscape. The management and sustainability of this exceptional geological heritage is inextricably linked with the welfare of the communities that surround the hill.

The geological importance and geodiversity of the site

The key features of the Wren's Nest site can be summarised as:

• Palaeontology – The site has extremely diverse, exceptionally preserved and abundant fossil marine invertebrate fauna (over 600 species from 29 major animal groups) numbering millions of individuals. It is the type locality for 186 species (more than any other British site). A total of 63 of these species are recorded nowhere else. Many new fossils, have yet to be described. The Wenlock Limestone of Dudley is a fossil lagerstatten, containing rare and important life assemblages, in the form of beds of articulated crinoids (sea lilies) superbly preserved under deposits of terrigenous mud and volcanic clay. Rare annelid and early plant remains have been found, containing soft tissue. Other superlative features of the site include bioherms (fossil 'patch' reefs preserved 'in situ'), and expansive ripple beds, which provide evidence of littoral zone conditions.
• Stratigraphy and Structure – This site and its immediately adjacent limestone hill contain a definitive section through the Much Wenlock Limestone Formation including all currently known bentonite marker horizons. The strata exposed in the mines and quarries around the hill form one of the finest examples of a faulted pericline in the UK. Around and between the hills lie Middle Carboniferous (Westphalian) strata, including the South Staffordshire Thick Coal; at 9–12.8 m, the thickest coal seam in the UK.

Wren's Nest's association with events, ideas and beliefs

Wren's Nest has an incredibly important place in the history of science and engineering. The strata of Wren's Nest and adjacent Castle Hill were key localities cited by 19th century geologist Sir Roderick Murchison, to define what is now known as the Wenlock Series in his seminal work The Silurian System (1839). In fact 65% of the fossils figured in this work were from these localities. This was the time in history when large numbers of new fossil life-forms came to light and traditionally held beliefs about the Earth and its origins were being questioned. It is recorded in the London Illustrated News for 1849, that in the second visit to Dudley of the British Association for the Advancement of Science an estimated 15,000 local people attended, with Murchison being acclaimed 'King of Siluria' at Wren's Nest itself with a 140 verse poem written to commemorate the event.

The site has important associations with the key figures of the Industrial Revolution, in particular with Dud Dudley, who first made iron using coal as a fuel, and also as the birthplace of Abraham Darby (the so called father of modern industry) in April 1678. The national historical importance of the limestone mining features was recognised in 2004 and these have now been placed on the national listings being designated as 'scheduled ancient monuments' by English Heritage.

The nature of the local community

The community that surrounds Wren's Nest is divided by the geomorphology of the hill itself into two quite different housing estates. Both areas are recognised as being among the most disadvantaged communities in the UK, designated European Priority 1 regeneration zones. The Priory estate occupies the land on the eastern flank of the hill and the Wren's Nest estate on the western flank. Both areas have families which have been present for many generations and often see the reserve as their own back garden and their childrens' personal playground. These people express their own specific agendas and needs through community associations and sometimes express strong, deeply felt and empassioned differences of opinion between the two communities. These communities are aware of the wildlife issues of the site and the mining heritage but have indicated very little knowledge about the geological features for which the site achieves its national designations.

Typical wider public perceptions of geodiversity

Research at the local museum, on site and at popular public areas (town centres and shopping malls, etc.) has indicated that the geological heritage of the area is generally totally unknown among the lay-public or by visitors and residents at the site. Sometimes the site is known by name and that fossils can be found there but its national and international significance is not.

In general the wider general public have expressed the following feelings about the site and its geological, geomorphological and mining heritage.

Typical public perception of the local cultural heritage

In contrast if the same questioned are asked about the nearby Dudley Castle and Zoo, and the Black Country living Museum and its 1850 village reconstruction the responses are quite different. The cultural heritage is often seen as

• Personal – family associations with mining and iron making
• Interesting, familiar – local history taught in schools
• Landmarks – attractive features of the local area
• There is often a sense of ownership – 'my territory, for my kids and me and visitors!'
• Its convenient, easy access – existing facilities with bus stops; car parks; places to sit and eat; toilets; good footpaths, guides and staff
• Its special – already know about unique features and are proud.

The knowledge gained from the consultation done so far indicates that when local people or the wider general public are aware of the importance of a site or a feature they value it and want to take ownership and pride in it. It is clear that formal educational curricula and cultural heritage publicity and promotion have dominated the public view for a long period of time in this part of the UK and that has had very significant impact on perceptions and protection/use of 'historic' sites here. Clearly then a key asset in the protection, promotion and management of the geodiversity is to make cultural links to the geological heritage and raise the profile through established channels as well as new initiatives.

Drawing people into geodiversity – making cultural links and making it personal

We have now adopted a check list/good practice approach for engaging local people. It is essentially the following rules

• Speak plain familiar language not technical language
• Tell wondrous and memorable stories using the site and specimens from it that they didn't know
• Take time to explain about the local geodiversity as the core around which the other heritage has developed
• Provide easy access to information about what is going on
• Involve all media and learning styles (newspapers, local circulars, the web, radio and TV, specific delivered paperwork, photographic records, open facilitated meetings, workshops)
• Provide consistent points of contact
• Team work. Ensure that there are roles for local people in the design and delivery of projects
• Provide the widest possible selection of projects you can that allow others to explore for themselves
• Generate an inclusive exciting vision with clearly defined worthwhile and achievable benefits for cultural and natural heritage and for all people.

Lessons learned – things that haven't worked well with local communities

Some of the work done over the last ten years or so has identified particular mistakes made when attempting to work in partnership with the communities here at Wren's Nest.

• In particular we found that meetings to discuss ideas with the community that did not have a trained facilitator/trusted liaison officer often went off track or became very difficult.
• In the past a lack of sensitivity in presenting project ideas and initiatives meant that they appeared to be aimed exclusively at visitors and outsiders.
• Similarly, projects that had very tight timelines for funding and consequently very short timescales for delivery and poor advanced notice were seen to be a fait accomplis.
• Projects that don't involve local people and skills were also resisted and deliberately harmed and interfered with.