{{Short description|Geological site in Leicestershire, England}} {{Infobox SSSI |image= Cliffe Hill Quarry 2.jpg |image_caption = |name= Cliffe Hill Quarry |aos= Leicestershire |interest=Geological |gridref={{gbmappingsmall|SK 474 107}}<ref name=dsv/> |area= {{convert|19.2|ha|acre|abbr=off}}<ref name=dsv/> |notifydate= 1990<ref name=dsv/> |map=[http://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=sssiIndex&query=HYPERLINK%3D%271003647%27 ''Magic Map''] }} '''Cliffe Hill Quarry''' is a {{convert| 19.2 |ha|acre|abbr=off}} geological [[Site of Special Scientific Interest]] on the western outskirts of [[Markfield]] in [[Leicestershire]].<ref name=dsv>{{cite web|url= https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteDetail.aspx?SiteCode=S1003647&SiteName=cliffe&countyCode=&responsiblePerson=&SeaArea=&IFCAArea= |title=Designated Sites View: Cliffe Hill Quarry | series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|accessdate = 31 December 2017}}</ref><ref name=map>{{cite web|url=http://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=sssiIndex&query=HYPERLINK%3D%271003647%27 |title=Map of Cliffe Hill Quarry|series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|accessdate= 31 December 2017}}</ref> It is a [[Geological Conservation Review]] site.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=4174&gcr=2815 |title= Cliffe Hill Quarry (Precambrian of England & Wales) |series=Geological Conservation Review |publisher=Joint Nature Conservation Committee|accessdate= 31 December 2017}}</ref>
This quarry exposes volcanic and sedimentary [[Charnian]] rocks dating to the [[Ediacaran]] period (635 to 541 Ma) of the [[Proterozoic]] eon. It was probably then a volcanic island. An unusually homogeneous form of the rock [[diorite]] found here is sometimes called [[markfieldite]], named after the village.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/PDFsForWeb/Citation/1003647.pdf |title=Cliffe Hill Quarry citation|series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|accessdate=31 December 2017}}</ref>
The site is private land with no public access.
==References== {{reflist}} {{commons category|Cliffe Hill Quarry}} {{coord| 52.691| -1.3 |type:landmark_region:GB-BNE|display=title}} {{SSSIs Leicestershire }} [[Category:Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Leicestershire]] [[Category:Geological Conservation Review sites]]