Geology Site Account
Newney Green Pit SSSI, NEWNEY GREEN, Chelmsford District, TL64820647, Site of Special Scientific Interest
Site name: Newney Green Pit SSSI
Grid reference: TL 6482 0647
Brief description of site:
Former gravel quarry providing exposures of Kesgrave Sands and Gravels (laid down by a former route of the Thames) dating from the early Ice Age, overlain by boulder clay (till) laid down by the Anglian Ice Sheet about 450,000 years ago. Ancient temperate and arctic climate soil horizons were present in the Kesgrave Formation. Although the pit has been infilled, a small area has been retained as a geological SSSI.
The former Newney Green Gravel Quarry had exposures of Kesgrave (Thames) Gravel, with a Cromerian Palaeosol (fossil soil horizon), overlain by the Anglian boulder clay (till). Occasional patches of glacial gravel were also found, and an (Anglian) arctic structure soil was found to be superimposed on the Cromerian palaeosol marking a change from warm interglacial to intensely cold glacial conditions.
This site is of prime importance for the correlation between Pleistocene sites in the Thames and East Anglian areas. It is a vital locality in working out the sequence of events in the evolution of the Thames.
(text adapted from the SSSI citation).
The pit has now been infilled except for small area of the SSSI.
Hertfordshire puddingstone from Newney Green found by B.E.Brett
Newney Green Pit ice wedge polygons
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Reference: Bridgland 1994 (p. 287-299)
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