Slinfold Stream and Quarry facts for kids
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
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Slinfold Stream
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| Area of Search | West Sussex |
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| Interest | Geological |
| Area | 2.3 hectares (5.7 acres) |
| Notification | 1990 |
| Location map | Magic Map |
Slinfold Stream and Quarry is a special natural area in West Sussex, England. It covers about 2.3 hectares, which is like 5.7 football fields. This site is very important for its geology. Because of this, it is called a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
Contents
What Makes This Place Special?
Slinfold Stream and Quarry is a fantastic place to learn about Earth's past. It shows us rocks from a very long time ago. These rocks are part of something called the Horsham Stone. This stone comes from the Lower Weald Clay.
A Look Back in Time
The rocks here formed during the Early Cretaceous period. This was about 130 million years ago! Imagine dinosaurs walking the Earth then. The rocks at this site hold clues from that ancient time.
Amazing Fossils
One of the coolest things about Slinfold Stream and Quarry is its fossils. You can find fossils of ancient horsetails here. What's even more amazing is that these plants are found standing upright. This tells us they grew right where they are now fossilized.
These upright fossils suggest the area was once a freshwater swamp. It was like a big marsh with reeds. The water in this swamp was not very deep. It was probably no more than 2 meters (about 6.5 feet) deep.
Visiting Slinfold Stream and Quarry
Part of the stream bank has a public footpath. This means you can walk along a small section of it. However, most of Slinfold Stream and Quarry is private land. There is no public access to these parts.
