Gedgrave Hall Pit facts for kids
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
 |
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| Area of Search | Suffolk |
|---|---|
| Interest | Geological |
| Area | 0.65 hectares |
| Notification | 1985 |
| Location map | Magic Map |
Gedgrave Hall Pit is a special place in Suffolk, England. It's a small area, about the size of a football field (0.65 hectares). This site is important because it helps us learn about Earth's history. It's officially known as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) due to its unique geology.
This area is also part of the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. This means it's a beautiful landscape that is protected for everyone to enjoy.
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What Makes Gedgrave Hall Pit Special?
Gedgrave Hall Pit is a very important spot for scientists who study rocks and Earth's past. It's a "geological" site, which means it teaches us about how the Earth was formed. It's also a Geological Conservation Review site. This means it's one of the best places in the UK to see certain types of rocks or fossils.
Digging into the Past: The Pits
The site has two main "pits" or holes in the ground. These pits show us layers of rock that are very old. They date back to the early Pliocene epoch. The Pliocene was a time in Earth's history that started about 5.3 million years ago.
Ancient Fossils in the Pits
The rocks in these pits are part of something called the Coralline Crag Formation. This formation is made of sand and shells from an ancient sea. In the smaller pit, you can find many well-preserved mollusc fossils. Molluscs are creatures like snails, clams, and oysters. These fossils are like clues that tell us what life was like millions of years ago.
However, the fossils in the larger pit are not as clear. They are "abraded," which means they have been worn down. This makes them harder to study.
Where is Gedgrave Hall Pit?
Gedgrave Hall Pit is located in a village called Gedgrave, which is south of Saxmundham in Suffolk. It's quite close to another similar geological site called Richmond Farm Pit, only about 500 metres away.
Is it Open to Visitors?
It's important to know that Gedgrave Hall Pit is on private land. This means there is no public access to the site. So, while it's a fascinating place for scientists, it's not somewhere you can visit yourself.
