Grimston Warren Pit facts for kids
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
 |
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| Area of Search | Norfolk |
|---|---|
| Interest | Geological |
| Area | 6.6 hectares (16 acres) |
| Notification | 1996 |
| Location map | Magic Map |
Grimston Warren Pit is a special place in Norfolk, England. It covers about 6.6 hectares (which is about 16 acres). This site is known as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) because of its important geology. It's located east of King's Lynn.
Being an SSSI means the area is protected by law. This is because it has unique natural features, like rare rocks or fossils. Grimston Warren Pit is also a Geological Conservation Review site. This means it's one of the most important places in the UK for studying geology.
A Window to the Past
Grimston Warren Pit used to be a quarry. A quarry is a place where people dig out rocks or minerals from the ground. This old quarry is very important for scientists. It helps them understand the rocks from the Lower Cretaceous period. This time was about 130 million years ago.
Scientists can study the different layers of rock here. These layers help them figure out how old the rocks are. They also learn about what the Earth was like millions of years ago.
Amazing Fossils: Ammonites
One of the most exciting things found at Grimston Warren Pit are ammonite fossils. Ammonites were ancient sea creatures. They looked a bit like snails with spiral shells. They lived in the oceans a very long time ago.
The ammonites found here are from a specific time called the Hauterivian age. This age is part of the Lower Cretaceous period. Finding these fossils helps scientists confirm the age of the rocks. It also tells us about the animals that lived in the seas back then.
Visiting Grimston Warren Pit
It's important to know that Grimston Warren Pit is on private land. This means that people cannot visit it without permission. There is no public access to the site. This helps protect the special geological features and fossils found there.
