South Lodge Pit

Coordinates: 51°31′44″N 0°41′46″W / 51.529°N 0.6962°W / 51.529; -0.6962
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
South Lodge Pit
Site of Special Scientific Interest
LocationBuckinghamshire
Grid referenceSU905819
InterestGeological
Area0.5 hectares
Notification1986
Location mapMagic Map

South Lodge Pit is a 0.5-hectare (1.2-acre) geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Taplow in Buckinghamshire.[1][2] It is a Geological Conservation Review site.[3]

This former chalk quarry dates to the late Cretaceous, around 83 million year ago. It is the only British example of a chalk phosphorite deposit, comparable to deposits in the Paris Basin.[1] In the late Cretaceous sea levels were much higher and covered much of England, including Buckinghamshire.[4] Marine fossils are found in several horizons, including annelids, oysters and bivalves.[5]

The site is on private land with no public access.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "South Lodge Pit citation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  2. ^ "Map of South Lodge Pit". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  3. ^ "South Lodge Pit (Cenomanian, Turonian, Senonian, Maastrichtian)". Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  4. ^ "South Lodge Pit". Taplow Society. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  5. ^ "South Lodge Pit SSSI". Bucks Geology. Retrieved 29 February 2016.

External links[edit]

51°31′44″N 0°41′46″W / 51.529°N 0.6962°W / 51.529; -0.6962