Southerham Works Pit facts for kids
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
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| Area of Search | East Sussex |
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| Interest | Geological |
| Area | 1.0 hectare (2.5 acres) |
| Notification | 1996 |
| Location map | Magic Map |
Southerham Works Pit is a special place in Lewes, East Sussex, England. It is a geological Site of Special Scientific Interest, which means it's protected because of its important rocks and fossils. It covers about 1 hectare (which is like two and a half football fields!).
Contents
What Makes Southerham Works Pit Special?
This site is super important for scientists who study Earth's history. It shows layers of rock from the Chalk Group. These rocks formed a very long time ago, between 90 and 87 million years ago! This time period is called the Upper Cretaceous.
What Can We Learn from These Rocks?
The rocks at Southerham Works Pit help us understand a few cool things:
- Rock Layers: Scientists can study how different layers of rock formed over time. This helps them learn about the history of our planet.
- Ancient Seas: The rocks here were once part of a chalky sea. By looking at them, we can imagine what the environment was like millions of years ago.
- Fish Fossils: This site is also great for learning about ancient fish. Scientists study the fossils to understand how fish have changed over time (their evolution) and how to group them (their taxonomy).
How Old Are These Rocks?
The rocks you can see at Southerham Works Pit are from the Upper Cretaceous period. This was a time when dinosaurs roamed the Earth! These specific layers are between 90 and 87 million years old. That's older than any human has ever lived!
Visiting Southerham Works Pit
You can visit the southern part of this special site. There is access from Southerham Lane. It's a great place to see ancient history right under your feet!
