Sugworth
Also within
Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP512007 | — | Favourable | 0.6 | 2010-02-05 |
Geology & landscape
Geological Period: Jurassic, Quaternary
Landscape processes: Fluvial
Description
Area, 0.6 hectares 1.4 ac Description Sections here have revealed an early Middle Pleistocene interglacial section of very great importance. A Pleistocene fluvial channel cut into the much older Jurassic Kimmeridge Clay contains sediments in which vertebrates, ostracods, molluscs, beetles, plant remains and pollen have all been preserved. These interglacial sediments have been attributed to the Cromerian Interglacial, although this dating has been the subject of recent controversy and some reassessment maybe required. Early interglacial deposits of this type are extremely rare inland in Britain. Sugworth is at present the only presumed Cromerian site associated with Thames deposits and it is therefore a locality of major significance.