Blisworth Limestone Formation today in the seas off the Bahamas (Kirkaldy p. 59). Much of it also contains marine shells, notably of oyster. Subsequently, the site was submerged less deeply so that the overlying Blisworth Clay was deposited in brackish conditions. (Gallois p. 20) The stratum is known as Blisworth Limestone because it was first studied at Blisworth in Northamptonshire when the Blisworth tunnel was being dug for what is now called the Grand Union Canal. The tunnel finally opened in 1805. Blisworth limestone is a generally thin but widely spread deposit in eastern England. It becomes thicker as one progresses southward from
Blisworth in 1852, probably close to the east side of the Towcester road. The ore was sent to an ironworks in Staffordshire. The ore was probably taken by horse and cart to the canal for despatch to the ironworks.Quarrying began seriously in 1853 or 1855 to the north of the road to Stoke Bruerne near the west end of the canal tunnel. The quarry was connected to the canal wharf by a tramway worked probably by hand and with a cable worked incline running through a bridge beneath the road and over a wooden bridge over the canal . At the