Beeston Cliffs

{{Short description|Biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Sheringham, Norfolk}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}

{{Infobox SSSI

|image= Chalk below Beeston Bump (geograph 5555802).jpg

|image_caption =

|name= Beeston Cliffs

|aos= Norfolk, England

|interest=Biological
Geological

|gridref={{gbmappingsmall|TG 169 433}}

|area= {{convert|10.3|ha|acre|abbr=off}}

|notifydate= 1985

|map=[https://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=sssiIndex&query=HYPERLINK%3D%271001344%27 Magic Map]

}}

Beeston Cliffs is a {{convert| 10.3 |ha|acre|abbr=off |adj=on }} biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Sheringham in Norfolk, England.{{cite web|url= https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteDetail.aspx?SiteCode=S1001344&SiteName=&countyCode=29&responsiblePerson=&SeaArea=&IFCAArea= |title=Designated Sites View: Beeston Cliffs| series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|access-date =24 October 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=sssiIndex&query=HYPERLINK%3D%271001344%27 |title=Map of Beeston Cliffs|series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|access-date= 24 October 2018}} It is a Geological Conservation Review site.{{cite web|url=http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=4174&gcr=610 |title= Beeston (Quaternary of East Anglia) |series=Geological Conservation Review |publisher=Joint Nature Conservation Committee|access-date= 25 May 2018}}

This is the type site for the Beestonian stage of the Early Pleistocene, between around 1.8 and 0.8 million years ago. It has both marine and freshwater deposits. There is a nationally rare plant, purple broomrape, in calcareous grassland on the clifftop.{{cite web|url= https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/PDFsForWeb/Citation/1001344.pdf |title=Beeston Cliffs citation|series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|access-date= 24 October 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.stratigraphy.org/upload/QuaternaryChart1.JPG|title=Global chronostratigraphical correlation table for the last 2.7 million years|publisher=International Commission on Stratigraphy|access-date =24 October 2018}}

There is public access to the site.