Houlder and Monarch Hill Pits, Upper Halling

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 51.3450, 0.4280

Condition (Natural England)

Unfavourable Declining (2)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
TQ688635 Unfavourable Declining 0.37 2022-03-30
TQ691634 Unfavourable Declining 0.33 2022-03-30

Geology & landscape

Geological Period: Quaternary

Landscape processes: Glacial, Periglacial

Description

Area, 0.62 ha. 1.53 ac. Description Upper Halling is important for Quaternary studies. It provides lithostratigraphic and biostratigraphic evidence for environmental changes during the Late Devensian. The sequence of sediments infills a dry valley and comprises 1 Late Devensian gelifluction deposits overlain by 2 two sheets of Late glacialgelifluction and hill wash deposits separated by a fossil soil assigned to the Late glacial Interstadial. The Late glacial deposits contain a fauna of land Mollusca. Variations in the faunal assemblages together with associated lithological changes provide a valuable record of Late glacial environmental history in south east England.