Bolter End Sand Pit SSSI
Grid
reference: SU 799
919
Area of site: 0.33 ha; 0.81 acres
Access,
location and parking:
The site is 5 km west of
Site
description:
Disused sand pit with overgrown and degraded slopes.
Geological
interpretation:
Reading Beds sands forming part of the Lane End outlier. This is one of a few
outliers in the area of Palaeogene (Tertiary) age, approximately 53 million
years old. These sediments rest unconformably on the dip slope of the Chalk. The
Reading Beds of Bolter End (and Lane End) are not typical of the ‘usual’
Reading Beds lithology. The pebble content is quite different (with provenance
implications) and it also includes mud clast breccias. The lithology of this
deposit is flint with pebbles of quartz, quartzite and lydite. Petrology and
sedimentological studies over the years have indicated that this outlier
represents a fluvial sequence and it is important for palaeogeographical
reconstructions as the source appears to come from Lower Cretaceous and Upper
Jurassic sequences.
Current
and potential educational use
(geology, ecology, archaeology, industrial archaeology):
No current use is made of the site for educational purposes. Due to its
restricted size, position on private land and condition of overgrowth it has
little potential for educational development. The interest is in the research
and Earth Science heritage conservation aspects.
Conservation
interest:
To maintain the integrity of the potential geological resource.
Threats
to site (present and future): Infill would be the major threat to the site, but also damage to the
sedimentary structures of the sands by tree root penetration. The sites
integrity is maintained under the SSSI notification.
Constraints
(basic risk assessment): (not assessed)
Reference
list/bibliography:
Woolridge,
S. W. and
Recommendations: File information. Not suitable for visits at present.