| The hills are largely made of carboniferous limestone, which is quarried at several nearby sites. |
| A significant loss occurred when rainforests collapsed in the carboniferous. |
| The city also lies within the north western parts of the Yorkshire Coalfield which is mostly composed of carboniferous coal measures. |
| A limestone pavement is an area of almost bare, flat rock and is arguably the most fascinating feature of any area of carboniferous limestone. |
| Scout Scar and Cunswick Scar are both formed of carboniferous limestone and dip gently towards the east with a steep western scarp slope. |
| They are mostly built from the same carboniferous limestone used at the castle. |
