Downfield Pit, Westmill
Also within
Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TL349164 | — | Favourable | 0.17 | 2021-11-20 |
| TL349166 | — | Unfavourable Declining | 0.15 | 2021-11-20 |
Geology & landscape
Geological Period: Quaternary
Landscape processes: Fluvial, Glacial
Description
Area,3.6 hectares 8.9 ac Description The Westmill area shows a thick and complex sequence of Pleistocene gravels and tills. The sequence at Downfield Pit shows the Westmill Lower Gravel a fluvial deposit of Thames origin overlain by two lithologically distinctive diamicts the Ware and Stortford Tills. These tills are overlain by a thick development of the Westmill Upper Gravel the lower part being dominantly fluvial, the upper being largely fluvioglacial. Elsewhere in the region, this gravel is succeeded by a further till, the Westmill Till. This sequence is important for establishing the pre-diversion course of the Thames, the nature of the post diversion Lea deposits and their relationship to the complex Anglian glaciations of the region. Downfield Pit, Westmill is a key site linking two classic areas of Middle Pleistocene stratigraphy the middle Thames region and East Anglia.