Wirksworth under the Sea

Children from local schools enjoyed creating an artistic impression of what it was like in Wirksworth 330 million years ago, using evidence from the limestone rocks.

Children from primary schools in Cromford, Middleton and Wirksworth enjoyed a half-term activity based on the guided trail offered to school groups in term time. The trail explored the types of fossils that the limestone rock is made from - mainly brachiopods, crinoids and corals.

All of these creatures lived beneath the sea and enjoy warm water conditions. The children were amazed when they realised that these creatures actually lived under tropical seas 330 million years ago.

Artists' impressions, along with a variety of creative arts materials, were available for the children to use to create a large wall picture of what Wirksworth was like during the Carboniferous period. At this time, the whole White Peak area of Derbyshire was covered by a tropical sea.

The children chose from fossil rubbing, collage, drawing, colouring or a combination of several of these to create pictures of fish, corals, crinoids, brachiopods and, of course, sharks (whose teeth are occasionally found fossilised in the rocks!) The result was a colourful impression of a landscape which can only be discovered by close examination and interpretation of the rocks beneath our feet.