Quaternary of the Thames (Geological Conservation Review Series)

The principal aim of this volume is to provide descriptions of Sites of Special Scientific Interest, selected as part of the Geological Conservation Review, that yield evidence for the Pleistocene history of the River Thames and its tributaries. Although defined thematically, the volume covers all Pleistocene GCR sites in the Thames valley. A number of sites in southern East Anglia are also included because they provide important evidence bearing on the history of the Thames system. The justification for a GCR volume devoted to the Thames lies in the special importance of the river in the British Quaternary. The volume is con­ cerned with the history of Britain over approximately the last two million years of geological time, during the repeated glacial phases of the Quaternary 'Ice Age' and the warmer intervals between them. Many such climatic fluctuations are recorded in the deposits of the Thames, which can be shown to have existed as the predominant west to east drainage line in south-eastern England throughout the Pleistocene. The Thames has left a detailed record of its earlier presence in the form of deposits, which comprise fluvially aggraded floodplain sediments (predominantly gravels) preserved on the valley sides, where they form geomorphological terrace features. The oldest deposits are at the highest levels, forming a terrace 'staircase' that records successive stages in the evolution of the valley. This volume describes important sites in the Pleistocene (ice age) deposits of the Thames terrace system which were laid down by the Thames and its tributaries during the many (alternating) cold and warm episodes of the Pleistocene. Considerable attention is devoted to correlating the Thames sequence with deposits found elsehwere in Britain, on the European continent and on the ocean floor. The ocean floor deposits are particularly important as the deep sea record is practically unbroken and can be used as a standard for global correlation. Quaternary of the Thames prepresents the first systematic attempt to relate the Thames sequence to this global oceanic record. This reinterpretation brinfgs the Thames into line with many other areas of Britain and the European continent, underlining the unique importance of the Thames sequence within the British Quaternary, and will be warmly welcomed by many workers in the field Front Matter....Pages i-xiii The Pleistocene of the Thames....Pages 1-31 The Upper Thames basin....Pages 33-79 The Middle Thames....Pages 81-170 The Lower Thames....Pages 171-274 Essex....Pages 275-385 Back Matter....Pages 387-441 This volume describes important sites in the Pleistocene deposits of the Thames terrace systems which were laid down by the Thames and its tributaries during the many alternating cold and warm episodes of the Pleistocene.