The development of the science of geology has provided a framework for explaining the ages of the rocks at Brimham, the nature of the forces that created them and, in particular, how the remarkable features have been formed. In the 1830’s the Millstone Grit of the Pennines, and that of Brimham, had been described as being formed by deposits of the sediment of ancient rivers in the water of shallow oceans. The picture of a river running via a huge delta into an ancient sea in the latter part of the Carboniferous Period carrying vast amounts of sediments worn away from a mountain range the size of the Himalaya, the sediments being deposited in layers to form sandstone is now well established. Research during the last few years has shown the vital role of earthquakes, fault zones and a dynamic braided river system in formation of the complex rock strata in parts of the site. Other recent research has revealed the physics behind the erosion of sandstone that helps explain the remarkable shapes produced by the weathering effects of ice, wind and rain seen today.
