Aston Rowant Cutting facts for kids
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
 |
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| Area of Search | Oxfordshire |
|---|---|
| Interest | Geological |
| Area | 3.5 hectares (8.6 acres) |
| Notification | 1986 |
| Location map | Magic Map |
Aston Rowant Cutting is a special place in Oxfordshire, England. It is a 3.5-hectare (8.6-acre) area that is important for its geology. This means it is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) because of its unique rocks and landforms. It is also a Geological Conservation Review site, which means it is recognized nationally for its geological importance.
This cutting is also known by other names like Stokenchurch Gap or Aston Hill cutting. Some local people even call it "The Canyon"! It is a very deep cut made through the Chiltern Hills. This huge cut was built in the early 1970s for the M40 motorway.
The Aston Rowant Cutting is about 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) long. At its deepest point, it goes down 47 metres (154 ft). That's like a 15-story building! It is located near the village of Stokenchurch. Even though it has "Aston Rowant" in its name, it's actually in the parish of Lewknor. During winter, this area often gets very thick fog.
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What Makes Aston Rowant Cutting Special?
This cutting is a fantastic place to learn about Earth's history. It shows us rocks from a very long time ago.
Ancient Rocks and Fossils
The Aston Rowant Cutting gives us the best view of rocks from the Coniacian stage. This time period was about 88 million years ago! It was part of the Late Cretaceous period, when dinosaurs still roamed the Earth.
The rocks here are part of the Upper Chalk layer. At the very bottom of the cutting, there is a section full of fossils. This area is very important for scientists. It helps them understand the exact point where the Coniacian stage began, right after the Turonian stage.
Red Kites Return!
If you visit the cutting, you might see beautiful Red kites flying overhead. These large birds of prey are often seen soaring above the cutting or the nearby hills.
Red kites almost disappeared from England a long time ago. They were hunted by gamekeepers in the Victorian era. But thanks to a successful reintroduction program, they are back! The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and Natural England helped bring them back. They brought birds from Spain to places like the Aston Rowant National Nature Reserve.
This program was a huge success! Now, there are over 200 pairs of red kites living here. They are even helping to supply birds for other reintroduction programs across the UK.
A Famous Location
The Aston Rowant Cutting is so well-known that it even appeared on TV! It was shown in the opening scenes of the popular BBC comedy series, The Vicar Of Dibley.
