Histon Road

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 52.2294, 0.1124

Open in the interactive map →

Also within

Cambridgeshire County

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
TL443611 — Favourable 0.58 2008-02-05

Habitats

Fast flowing river and stream

Geology & landscape

Geological Period: Quaternary

Description

Area, 0.6 hectares 1.4 ac. Description A key Pleistocene stratigraphic site. At this locality fluviatile silts and marls, with gravel seams, comprising the third terrace level of the River Cam have yielded good sequences of pollen and non marine Mollusca. A few vertebrate remains were also found. The importance of the deposit lies mainly in the fact that it provides an almost complete record of the second half of the Ipswichian Interglacial, a period of time so far represented at only one other site outside East Anglia. Pollen evidence of zone Ip 11 deposits in addition indicates that most of the interglacial is represented here. It should be noted that at this site the deposits are currently unexposed, but its current use as allotments means that access to the deposits for future study is still possible.

Plant communities

A9 — Fast flowing river and stream, Marginal and inundation, Pond ditch and canal, Sluggish river and stream

Potamogeton natans community

Schoenoplectus lacustris, Juncus bulbosus, Sparganium angustifolium, Sparganium erectum, Sparganium minimum, Alisma plantago-aquatica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Lemna trisulca, Nymphaea alba, Callitriche platycarpa, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus trichophyllus, Glyceria fluitans, Chara subspinosa

A14 — Fast flowing river and stream

Myriophyllum alterniflorum community

Isolepis fluitans, Juncus bulbosus, Fontinalis antipyretica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton filiformis, Potamogeton gramineus, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus peltatus, Chara spp., Nitella hyalina

A17 — Chalk river and stream, Fast flowing river and stream

Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans community

Berula erecta, Nasturtium officinale, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Veronica beccabunga, Polygonum amphibium, Polygonum hydropiper, Potamogeton crispus, Potamogeton pectinatus, Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans

A18 — Fast flowing river and stream

Ranunculus fluitans community

Fontinalis antipyretica, Fontinalis squamosa var. curnowii, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Myriophyllum spicatum, Elodea canadensis, Mentha aquatica, Lemna gibba, Lemna minor, Potamogeton perfoliatus, Ranunculus fluitans, Glyceria fluitans, Phalaris arundinacea