Wansunt Pit facts for kids
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
 |
|
| Area of Search | Greater London Kent |
|---|---|
| Grid reference | |
| Interest | Geological |
| Area | 1.9 hectares |
| Notification | 1990 |
| Location map | Magic Map |
Wansunt Pit is a special place in Dartford Heath, located between Crayford in London and Dartford in Kent. It's a 1.9-hectare area known as a 'Site of Special Scientific Interest' (SSSI). This means it's officially protected because of its important geology.
It's also recognized as a 'Geological Conservation Review' site. This means it's super important for studying Earth's history. Wansunt Pit is part of Braeburn Park, a nature reserve looked after by the London Wildlife Trust.
Why Wansunt Pit is Special
Wansunt Pit is important for two main reasons: its geology and its archaeology. Scientists study the rocks and layers of earth here to understand how our planet changed over thousands of years. They also look for ancient tools and objects left behind by early humans.
Geological Discoveries
Scientists study Wansunt Pit because it shows us ancient gravels from the Dartford Heath area. These gravels help experts understand the history of the River Thames and how it flowed long ago. The layers of earth here tell a story about the Pleistocene epoch, also known as the Ice Age, which happened between 2.6 million and 11,700 years ago.
Archaeological Finds
Wansunt Pit is also a treasure trove for archaeologists. For over a hundred years, people have been digging here and finding amazing things.
- Stone Tools: They've found stone tools made by an early human species called Homo heidelbergensis. These tools are incredibly old, dating back between 424,000 and 374,000 years ago. This was during a warm period known as the Hoxnian Stage, which was an interglacial time between major ice ages.
- Other Treasures: More recent finds include sixteen axes from the Bronze Age. This period was around 3,300 BC to 1,200 BC, when people started using bronze. They also discovered seventeen gold armlets from the Iron Age, which followed the Bronze Age.
Exploring the Site
The Wansunt Pit site is split into two parts. One part is crossed by a road called Galloway Drive. The other part is north-west of Denton Road, but it's not open to visitors.
