Late Pleistocene deposits at Chatteris, March and Wimblington, Cambridgeshire, UK

• Published in: Proceedings of the Geologists' Association Vol. 106; no. 3; pp. 195 - 210
• Main Authors: West, R.G., Andrew, R., Knudsen, K.L., Peglar, S.M., Pettit, M.E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01-01-1995
• ISSN: 0016-7878
• DOI: 10.1016/S0016-7878(08)80023-5

Sites at Chatteris, March Town End and Wimblington Common have yielded evidence for Late Pleistocene vegetational history, sea-level change and gravel aggradation. Analysis of pollen, macroscopic plant remains and Foraminifera indicate that temperate freshwater and marine sediments were deposited in the Ipswichian Stage, substages II and HI. The freshwater sediments formed above 3.5 m OD, and the marine sediments from −3 m to 1.4 m OD. Gravel aggradations that followed contain reworked marine faunas, and include the so-called March Gravels. These are considered to be Devensian, and show a series of aggradations with heights declining during this cold stage. It is suggested that the term March Gravels be restricted to Devensian gravels, while the Ipswichian marine-influenced sediments are placed in a separate unit, the Wimblington Beds.