| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
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| Location | Greater London |
|---|---|
| Grid reference | TQ418786 |
| Interest | Geological |
| Area | 5.2 hectares |
| Notification | 1985 |
| Location map | Magic Map |
Gilbert's Pit is a 5.2-hectare (13-acre) geologicalSite of Special Scientific Interest inCharlton in theRoyal Borough of Greenwich. It was notified in 1985 and was formerly known as Charlton Sand Pit.[1] It is aGeological Conservation Review site.[2] It is also part of theMaryon Wilson Park and Gilbert's PitLocal Nature Reserve.[3][4] It adjoinsMaryon Park and is close toMaryon Wilson Park.
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There was a Romano-British settlement on Cox's Mount, the summit of Gilbert's Pit, between the first and fifth centuries. The area was part of the ancientHanging Wood. The Pit was part of the estate of the Maryon-Wilson family. From the late eighteenth century to 1889 it was worked for sand, and it was named after one of the managers, Mr E. Gilbert. It was purchased by theLondon County Council in 1930.[5][6]
Gilbert's Pit is an importantPaleogene site, displaying one of the most complete sequences of sediments in Greater London. ThePaleoceneThanet andWoolwich Formations date to around 55 million years ago. Some of the beds yield many fossils of plants, sponges, molluscs, fish and reptiles. The site has been studied for over 120 years and is the subject of a substantial literature.[1]
The site is steeply sided. The main trees are birch and oak, and there is yellow gorse and broom on the upper slopes. On the lower slopes hawthorn provides nesting sites for birds.[7]
Much of the site is fenced off. There is access to the part which is open from Charlton Lane and a path from the Gilbert's Pit information board in Maryon Park leads up to Cox's Mount, which has fine views over London.
All land within Gilbert's Pit SSSI is owned by the local authority.[8]
51°29′20″N0°02′30″E / 51.4888°N 0.0418°E /51.4888; 0.0418
