Geology Site Account

Site name: Coombe Wood, Thundersley

Grid reference: TQ 783883

Brief description of site:

Woodland on steep ground with occasional exposures of Claygate Beds and Bagshot Sand. Site of geological interest with potential to provide information about the underlying geology.

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Summary of geological interest

At the western edge of the Rayleigh Hills the A13 climbs the steep incline of Bread and Cheese Hill. On the left hand (north) side of the road the steeply sloping ground of Coombe Wood can be seen. Coombe Wood is a mostly native woodland situated on the Claygate Beds with Bagshot Sand on the highest ground. The layers of sandy clay that make up the Claygate Beds can be seen in the sides of a stream that cuts through the wood in a very steep valley which is almost a ravine. The underlying geology is also revealed by rabbit burrows and the rootplates of fallen trees.