Waldringfield Pit facts for kids
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
View towards Waldringfield Pit
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| Area of Search | Suffolk |
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| Interest | Geological |
| Area | 0.8 hectares |
| Notification | 1991 |
| Location map | Magic Map |
Waldringfield Pit is a special place in Suffolk, England. It's a small area, about the size of one football field, located between Martlesham Heath and Waldringfield. This site is very important for understanding the Earth's history, especially its geology. It's officially known as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) because of its unique geological features. It's also part of the Geological Conservation Review, which means it's one of the best examples of its kind in Great Britain.
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What Makes Waldringfield Pit Special?
Waldringfield Pit is like an open book of Earth's past. It shows us layers of rock and soil that tell a story about how the land changed over thousands of years. These layers are called deposits, and they formed during a time known as the Pleistocene epoch. This was a long time ago, from about 2.6 million to 11,700 years ago, and it included many ice ages!
Layers of Time: Red Crag and Waldringfield Gravels
At Waldringfield Pit, you can see different layers of these ancient deposits.
- The oldest layer is called the Red Crag. This formation is made up of sand and gravel that were laid down by ancient seas. It often has a reddish color, which gives it its name.
- On top of the Red Crag, there's another important layer called the Waldringfield Gravels. These gravels are very special because Waldringfield Pit is the type site for them. This means it's the place where these specific gravels were first studied and defined by scientists.
The Ancient River Thames and Ice Ages
The Waldringfield Gravels are actually the very first part of a much larger group of deposits known as the Kesgrave Sands and Gravels. These sands and gravels were left behind by a much older version of the River Thames. Imagine the River Thames we know today, but in a very different place!
Around 450,000 years ago, a huge event called the Anglian Glaciation happened. This was a major ice age where a massive ice sheet covered much of Britain. This giant ice sheet actually pushed the ancient River Thames south, changing its path to the one we see today. The deposits at Waldringfield Pit help scientists understand exactly how and when this big change happened.
Visiting Waldringfield Pit
It's important to know that Waldringfield Pit is on private land. This means there is no public access to the site. While you can't visit in person, scientists and geologists continue to study this important location to learn more about our planet's ancient history.
