Biddenham Pit facts for kids
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
 |
|
| Area of Search | Bedfordshire |
|---|---|
| Interest | Geological |
| Area | 0.4 hectares |
| Notification | 1988 |
| Location map | Magic Map |
Biddenham Pit is a special place in Biddenham, Bedfordshire. It's a former gravel pit, which means it's a place where people once dug out gravel from the ground. Today, it's known as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). This means it's protected because it has important natural features.
The pit is about 0.41 hectares in size, which is roughly the size of a small sports field. It was officially recognized as an SSSI in 1988. It's also a Geological Conservation Review site, which means it's important for studying the Earth's history. While it's owned by building companies, Natural England helps manage it to protect its special features.
Contents
Why is Biddenham Pit Special?
Biddenham Pit is very important for understanding the past. It shows us layers of gravel that were left behind by the River Great Ouse a very long time ago. These gravel layers are like a history book of the Earth. They contain clues about what the area was like thousands of years ago.
What Can We Find There?
Scientists have found many interesting things in the gravel at Biddenham Pit:
- Ancient Shells and Bones: They've discovered shells from molluscs (like snails) and bones from mammals that lived during warm periods between ice ages. These are called interglacial periods.
- Tiny Fossils: There might even be microfossils here. These are super tiny fossils that you can only see with a microscope.
- Stone Age Tools: In the very lowest layers of gravel, scientists found many tools made by people from the Paleolithic Age. This was a very early part of the Stone Age. It shows that ancient humans lived and worked in this area.
How is it Protected?
The site is regularly checked by experts from Natural England. Their last check found that Biddenham Pit, especially its gravel layers, is in a 'Favourable' condition. This means it's being well-preserved and its important features are safe.
Visiting Biddenham Pit
You can visit Biddenham Pit! There's a public footpath that leads to it from Malcote Close. It's a great place to see a piece of Earth's history right in your local area.
