Purfleet Road, Aveley is a 4 hectare geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Aveley in Essex.[1][2]

Purfleet Road, Aveley
Site of Special Scientific Interest
LocationEssex
Grid referenceTQ556799
InterestGeological
Area4.0 hectares
Notification1998
Location mapMagic Map

The site was exposed as a result of excavations for building the A13 road in 1997. It dates to the interglacial period, MIS7, around 200,000 years ago. The site has yielded mollusc insect and mammal fossils, including the first jungle cat discovered in Britain. It is described by Natural England as a "site of national importance for the study of Quaternary environments and climates".[1][3]

There is access to the site from Purfleet Road, but no geology is visible as the excavations have been filled in.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Purfleet Road, Aveley citation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
  2. ^ "Map of Purfleet Road, Aveley". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
  3. ^ "Aveley, Purfleet Road SSSI, AVELEY, Thurrock District, TQ555798, Site of Special Scientific Interest". Essex Field Club. Retrieved 1 May 2016.

51°29′49″N 0°14′20″E / 51.497°N 0.239°E / 51.497; 0.239