Richmond Farm Pit, Gedgrave facts for kids
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
 |
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| Area of Search | Suffolk |
|---|---|
| Interest | Geological |
| Area | 0.57 hectares |
| Notification | 1985 |
| Location map | Magic Map |
Richmond Farm Pit, Gedgrave is a very special place in Suffolk, England. It's a small area, about half a hectare (which is like half a football field!), that scientists have marked as important for its geology. This means it's a great spot to learn about the Earth's history and how it was formed. It's also part of a beautiful natural area called the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
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What Makes Richmond Farm Pit Special?
Richmond Farm Pit is known as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). This is a title given to places in the UK that have important wildlife, plants, or geology. It helps protect these areas so they can be studied and enjoyed for a long time.
A Window into Earth's Past
This pit is a fantastic place to see rocks from a time called the Pliocene epoch. This was a long time ago, between 5.3 and 2.6 million years ago! The rocks here are part of something called the Coralline Crag Formation.
What is the Coralline Crag?
The Coralline Crag is a type of rock made from sand and shells. It formed when this area was covered by a warm, shallow sea. Imagine a sea full of corals and sea creatures! Over millions of years, their shells and the sand settled on the seabed. They slowly turned into the rock we see today.
Sandwaves and Ancient Seas
Experts from Natural England say that Richmond Farm Pit is special because it clearly shows something called "sandwave facies." This might sound complicated, but it just means you can see the patterns left by ancient sandwaves. These were like underwater sand dunes, shaped by currents in the old Pliocene sea. Seeing these patterns helps scientists understand how the sea moved and what it was like millions of years ago.
Where are the Fossils?
Even though the Coralline Crag is made of shells, Richmond Farm Pit has very few fossils. Fossils are the preserved remains of ancient life. In this particular pit, most of the shells and other remains were moved away by water currents before they could become fossils. So, while the rock itself tells a story, you won't find many ancient creatures here.
Visiting Richmond Farm Pit
Richmond Farm Pit is located about 500 meters from another similar geological site called Gedgrave Hall Pit. Both sites are important for understanding the geology of Suffolk. However, Richmond Farm Pit is on private land. This means there is no public access to the site. It's important to respect private property and view these special places from a distance if you can.
