Winterbourne Chalk Pit facts for kids
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
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View towards Winterbourne Chalk Pit
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| Area of Search | Berkshire |
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| Interest | Geological |
| Area | 0.05 hectares (0.12 acres) |
| Notification | 1983 |
| Location map | Magic Map |
Winterbourne Chalk Pit is a very small area, about the size of half a football field, located west of Winterbourne in Berkshire, England. It's a special place because of its unique geology. This pit is officially recognized as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and is also part of the Geological Conservation Review (GCR). It sits within the beautiful North Wessex Downs.
Contents
Discovering Winterbourne Chalk Pit
Winterbourne Chalk Pit is a protected site because it holds important clues about Earth's past. It's a place where scientists can study ancient rocks.
What is a Site of Special Scientific Interest?
A Site of Special Scientific Interest, or SSSI, is a special area in the United Kingdom. These places are protected by law because they have important wildlife, plants, or geological features. Winterbourne Chalk Pit is an SSSI because of its geology.
What is a Geological Conservation Review Site?
The Geological Conservation Review (GCR) is a list of the best places in Great Britain to study geology. These sites are chosen because they show important parts of Earth's history. Winterbourne Chalk Pit is on this list, meaning it's a top spot for understanding ancient rocks.
A Journey Back in Time
The rocks at Winterbourne Chalk Pit are very old. They are made of chalk and date back to the late Cretaceous period. This was about 80 million years ago!
Ancient Rocks and Fossils
The chalk layers here were formed a very long time ago. They are special because they are the only known rocks of this age in the western part of the London Basin. This area is a large geological bowl where London sits.
The pit is also full of macrofossils. These are fossils that are large enough to see without a microscope. Many of these fossils are belemnites. Belemnites were ancient sea creatures that looked a bit like squid, but with a hard, bullet-shaped shell inside their bodies. Finding them here helps scientists learn about life millions of years ago.
Visiting the Pit
It's important to know that Winterbourne Chalk Pit is on private land. This means there is no public access to the site. It is protected for scientific study.
