Holton Pit

{{Infobox SSSI

|image= Holton Pit 8.jpg

|image_caption =

|name= Holton Pit

|aos= Suffolk

|interest=Geological

|gridref={{gbmappingsmall| TM 405 774 }}

|area= 1.6 hectares

|notifydate= 1988

|map=[http://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=sssiIndex&query=HYPERLINK%3D%271002048%27 Magic Map]

}}

Holton Pit is a {{convert|1.6|hectare|acre|adj=on}} geological Site of Special Scientific Interest east of Halesworth in Suffolk.{{cite web|url= https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteDetail.aspx?SiteCode=S1002048&SiteName=holton&countyCode=&responsiblePerson=&SeaArea=&IFCAArea= |title=Designated Sites View: Holton Pit | series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|access-date = 14 May 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=sssiIndex&query=HYPERLINK%3D%271002048%27 |title=Map of Holton Pit|series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|access-date= 14 May 2017}} It is a Geological Conservation Review site.{{cite web|url= http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=4174&gcr=2336 |series=Geological Conservation Review |title= Holton (Quaternary of East Anglia) |publisher=Joint Nature Conservation Committee|access-date= 3 May 2017}}

This was thought to be the only site known to show the sequence of the early Pleistocene Westleton Beds overlain by "quarttzose gravels" deposited by the proto-Thames river as the Kesgrave Sands & Gravels. The "quartzose gravels" are now thought most likely to be Anglian glacial outwash. The Westleton Beds mainly consist of sand but were quarried here for gravels that were a coastal gravel accumulation, especially gravels washed into large channels, and the site is close to their known inland boundary and throws light on their spatial limits.{{cite web|url=http://www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1002048.pdf|title=Holton Pit citation|series=Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|access-date=14 May 2017|archive-date=4 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150504200641/http://www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1002048.pdf|url-status=dead}}

Footpaths from Holton go through the site.

References

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{{commons category|Holton Pit}}

{{coord| 52.342| 1.529 |type:landmark_region:GB-BNE|display=title}}

{{SSSIs Suffolk }}

Category:Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Suffolk

Category:Geological Conservation Review sites