Chillesford Church Pit facts for kids
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
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| Area of Search | Suffolk |
|---|---|
| Interest | Geological |
| Area | 1.1 hectares |
| Notification | 1986 |
| Location map | Magic Map |
Chillesford Church Pit is a really special place in Suffolk, England. It's a small area, about the size of one and a half football fields, that helps scientists learn about Earth's ancient past. This site is officially recognized as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) because of its amazing geological features.
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What Makes Chillesford Church Pit Special?
Chillesford Church Pit is located in Chillesford, a village south of Saxmundham. It's not just any patch of land; it's a designated SSSI, which means it's protected because of its unique natural features. In this case, it's important for its geology.
A Window to the Ancient Past
The ground at Chillesford Church Pit holds secrets from millions of years ago. It has layers of earth that date back to a time called the Early Pleistocene epoch. This was a very long time ago, roughly 2.4 to 1.8 million years ago! Scientists call this specific period the Bramertonian Stage.
What Can We Learn from the Rocks?
By studying the layers of soil and rock here, scientists can find clues about what the Earth was like millions of years ago. They have discovered fossils of tiny sea creatures called molluscs, which are like ancient snails and shellfish. They also find pollen from plants that lived back then.
These fossils tell us that the climate in this area was much warmer, or "temperate," during the Bramertonian Stage. It was a very different world from today!
The Chillesford Formations
The special layers of earth found here are part of something called the Chillesford Crag formation. The "Crag" refers to sandy deposits that often contain shells. There's also something called the Chillesford Clay. Both the Chillesford Crag and Chillesford Clay are part of a larger geological group known as the Norwich Crag Formation. These formations are important because they help geologists understand how the land changed over millions of years.
Visiting Chillesford Church Pit
It's important to know that Chillesford Church Pit is on private land. This means there is no public access for visitors. The site is protected so that scientists can continue to study its unique geological features.
