Double Arches Pit

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 51.9528, -0.6398

Also within

Bedfordshire County

Condition (Natural England)

Unfavourable Declining (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
SP935291 Unfavourable Declining 1.71 2024-03-06

Geology & landscape

Geological Period: Cretaceous · Rock Type: Greensand

Birds & fish recorded

Birds

SpeciesSeason
buzzard Unknown

Description

Area, 1.61 hectares 3.98 ac Description This locality shows the best accessible exposure of Lower Greensand and Gault in the Leighton Buzzard area, an area celebrated for its outcrops of these rocks. The study of these Lower Cretaceous rock units locally has played an important part in the elucidation of sedimentary, fossil and environmental changes through time in the Cambridge Bedford province, particularly during the tardefurcata and mamillatum zones. The locality also shows unique examples of channelling in the Junction Beds and a clear development of the Cirripede crustacean Bed.