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Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP778126 | — | Unfavourable No Change | 0.13 | 2012-02-06 |
Geology & landscape
Geological Feature: Rock Outcrop · Geological Period: Carboniferous · Rock Type: Chert, Ironstone
Description
Description This site comprises undated sands of Wealden facies. Nearby such sandy facies rest erosively upon Purbeck Beds which are also of uncertain age. Uniquely for the district these are demonstrably sited in a westerly flowing channel, and comprise leached cross bedded ‘glass sand’ and pebbly sand and at least one bed of silty clay with ironstone nodules. The sand is of northern origin the following minerals being present, feldspar, tourmaline, kyanite staurolite, garnet, etc. probably recycled through the Portland Beds and the pebbles are of quartz and Carboniferous chert. There is abundant carbonaceous plant debris, much of which may be fossil charcoal. As the most north easterly outcrop of the Wealden facies, this site is important for its bearing on Purbeck Wealden pallaeogeography, the relation of the northern and southern Portlandian Berriasian basins and the contemporary climate and palaeoenvironments on the London Brabant massif.