Sand is made from rock or shell that has been broken down by wind, rain or waves. Millions of years ago when dinosaurs roamed the earth, Bedfordshire was covered by a warm shallow sea, and the sand that is still quarried today was washed down from the north of England by rivers. The grains of the white sand quarried in Leighton Buzzard have a special rounded shape that makes them very valuable, this sand is known as silica sand.

Quarries can tell us lots about geology and about what Bedfordshire looked like millions of years ago. Fossils are often found which give us information about the creatures that lived here .

Archaeology

Archaeology helps us to understand more about our history. Amazing archaeological treasures are often discovered when a quarry is being dug from which we can learn more about the history of an area and the people and communities that lived there. Have a look at these amazing pictures of artefacts that have been found in the Leighton Buzzard area whilst digging for sand.