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The Lower Thames Valley is a classic area for British Pleistocene studies. The valley contains a sequence of River Thames deposits representing approximately the past 300,000 years, including older, highly fragmented and eroded sediments derived from Thames tributaries and glaciation. The region includes some of the most important Palaeolithic archaeological sites in the country which, although extensively studied, have never previously been fitted into a regional context. The area also includes some of the most important fossiliferous localities in the country, several of which have been at the center of controversies regarding the sequence of events in the British Pleistocene. This regional investigation clarifies the problems by presenting the geological sequence in detail and establishing the relationship of these localities for the first time.
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The Lower Thames Valley is a classic area for British Pleistocene studies. It extends downstream from central London to Tilbury. The valley contains a sequence of River Thames deposits representing approximately the last 300 000 years. It includes older, highly fragmented and eroded sediments derived from Thames tributaries and glaciation. The Lower Thames includes some of the most important Palaeolithic archaeological sites in the country, such as Swanscombe, Northfleet, Grays, Crayford and Stoke Newington. These sites have been investigated in great detail in the past, but have never previously been fitted into a regional context. This study does this and considers the significance of the finds in relation to their geological setting. The area also includes some of the most important fossiliferous localities in the country, several of which have been at the centre of significant controversies regarding the sequence of events in the British Pleistocene. This regional investigation clarifies the problems by presenting the geological sequence in detail and establishing clearly the relationship of these important localities for the first time. This fascinating account provides a companion study to The Pleistocene History of the Middle Thames Valley (by the same author) and will be of interest to those studying river and landscape history. Pleistocene History of the Lower Thames Valley Pleistocene History of the Lower Thames Valley PHILIP L. GIBBARD Assistant Director of Research, Subdepartment of Quaternary Research, Botany School, University of Cambridge CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS Published by the Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge The Pitt Building, Trumpington Street, Cambridge CB2 1RP 40 West 20th Street, New York, NY 10011-1211, USA 10 Stamford Road, Oakleigh, Melbourne 3166, Australia © Cambridge University Press 1994 First published 1994 Printed in Great Britain at the University Press, Cambridge A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress cataloguing in publication data Gibbard, Philip L. (Philip L.), 1949Pleistocene History of the Lower Thames Valley / Philip L. Gibbard. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-521-40209-3 1. Geology, Stratigraphic-Pleistocene. 2. Glacial landforms-England-Thames River Valley. 3. Paleolithic period-England-Thames River Valley. I. Title. QE697.G386 1994 551.7'92'09422-dc20 93-31544 CIP ISBN 0 521 40209 3 hardback TAG Contents Preface ix 1 Introduction I 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Topography and geological background Previous investigations Note on terrace stratigraphy Nomenclature of terrace deposits 4 4 8 9 2 Lithostratigraphy 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 High-level fpre-Thames') deposits Dartford Heath Gravel Swanscombe Member Deposits Orsett Heath Gravel Corbets Tey Gravel