Charnage Down Chalk Pit

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 51.0955, -2.2345

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Also within

Wiltshire County Cranborne Chase & West Wiltshire Downs Scenic Area

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
ST836329 — Favourable 3.61 2012-02-15

Geology & landscape

Rock Type: Chalk

Description

Area, 3.7 ha. 9.1 ac. Description Charnage Down Chalk Pit is a famous geological locality providing the most westerly exposures in England of the Chalk Rock, of late Turonian age. Above this is a well exposed section of fossiliferous Coniacian strata, itself of considerable stratigraphic importance. This is probably the best known locality in southern England for the study of 'hardgrounds' in the Chalk. Hardgrounds form by hardening of the sea floor during deposition of the sediments and give important clues about environmental conditions at the time these rocks were accumulating. Other Information Within the Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.