1 Cover Illustration: a montage of photos published within this volume. Compiled during the QRA’s 50th year (2014) and published in 2015 to celebrate the key Quaternary sites of the British Isles as proposed by the Quaternary community. © Quaternary Research Association, London, 2015 ISBN: 0907780180 ISSN: 0261 3611 © All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording or in any information storage or retrieval system without permission in writing from the publishers. Desktop Publishing: B Silva Recommended Reference: Silva, B. and Phillips, E. R. (eds) 2015. UK Top Quaternary sites: a compilation to celebrate the QRA’s semi-centennial year. Quaternary Research Association, London. i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The editors wish to thank and acknowledge the following: The time spent proof reading by Alix Cage, Jonathan Lee and Mick Frogley and all their helpful comments. Helpful discussion and comments were also received from the QRA Executive Board of 2014 and 2015. This volume would not exist without the support, enthusiasm and work of the Quaternary community. Initially when Emrys proposed the idea of a collection of the ‘Top 50 Sites’, we were unsure of the response we would get. We were overwhelmed by the number of submissions (over 80) and subsequently decided that they all deserved publishing as it would be near impossible to justify accepting some and not others. So, we would very much like to thank all those who took the time and effort to submit their favourite site (or sites!!). ii CONTRIBUTORS J.R.L. Allen FRS Dept of Archaeology, University of Reading, Whiteknights, PO Box 227, Reading, RG6 6AB. Keith Barber Palaeoecology Laboratory (PLUS), Geography and Environment, University of Southampton, SO17 1BJ. [email protected]. Mark Bateman Geography Dept, Sheffield University, Winter St, Sheffield, S10 2TN. [email protected]. Rick Battarbee Environmental Change Research Centre, University College London, Gower St, London, WC1E 6BT. [email protected]. Martin Bell FBA Dept of Archaeology, University of Reading, Whiteknights, PO Box 227, Reading, RG6 6AB. [email protected]. Jenny Bennett 4 Crockernwell Court, Crockernwell, Exeter, EX6 6NA. [email protected]. Andrew Bicket Wessex Archaeology, Coastal & Marine, Portway House, Old Sarum Park, Salisbury, SP4 6EB. [email protected]. John Birks Department of Biology, University of Bergen, PO Box 7803, N-5020 Bergen, Norway. [email protected]. David Bridgland Dept of Geography, Durham University, Lower Mountjoy, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE. [email protected]. Eleanor Brown. Natural England, Mail Hub Block B, Whittington Road, Worcester, WR5 2LQ. [email protected]. Cynthia Burek University of Chester, Parkgate Road, Chester, CH1 4BJ. [email protected]. Stewart Campbell Natural Resources Wales, Chester Road, Buckley, Flintshire, CH7 3AJ. [email protected]. iii Ian Candy Dept of Geography, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham. TW20 0EX. [email protected]. John Catt Department of Geography, University College London, Pearson Building, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT. [email protected]. E.R. Connell. Dept of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences, University of Hull, Cottingham Road, Hull, HU6 7RX. [email protected] Andrew Crossley Haulwen, 6, Maes Brynglas, Peniel, Carmarthen, Carms, SA32 7HF. [email protected]. Bethan Davies Dept of Geography, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, TW20 0EX. [email protected]. Sue Dawson Geography, School of Environment, Nethergate, Perth Road, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 4HN. [email protected]. Peter Ealey Cornwall Conservation Group. 8, Minster Fields, Manaccan, Helston, Cornwall, TR12 6JG. [email protected]. Stephen Gale School of Geography, Earth Science and Environment, The University of the South Pacific, Fiji. [email protected]. John Gordon. School of Geography and Geosciences, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9AL, Scotland. [email protected]. David Graham Polar and Alpine Research Centre, Dept of Geography, Loughborough University, Loughborough, LE11 3TU. [email protected]. Chris Green Dept. of Archaeology, University of Reading, Reading, RG6 6AB. Adrian Hall Dept of Physical Geography and Quaternary Geology, Stockholm University, SE-106 91, Stockholm. [email protected]. E.Y. Haworth. The Freshwater Biological Association, Windermere. iv Zoë Hazell Historic England, Fort Cumberland, Eastney, Portsmouth, PO4 9LD. [email protected] Peter Hoare 26 Victoria Street, Ely, Cambridgeshire, CB7 4BL. [email protected]. Robert Hosfield Dept. of Archaeology, University of Reading, Reading, RG6 6AB. [email protected]. Frank Howie Cornwall Geoconservation Group. Five Acres, Allet, Truro, Cornwall, TR4 9DJ. [email protected]. David Jarman 4/18 Lanark Street, Glasgow G1 5PY. [email protected]. Brian John Trefelin, Cilgwyn, Newport, Pembs, SA42 0QN. [email protected]. Martin Kirkbride School of the Environment, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 4HN, Scotland, UK. [email protected]. Jasper Knight School of Geography, Archaeology & Environmental Studies, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. [email protected]. Harry E Langford 16 Magnolia Avenue, Longthorpe, Peterborough, PE3 9QT. [email protected]. Jonathan Lee British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham, NG12 5GG. [email protected] Antony Long Sea-Level Research Unit, Department of Geography, Durham University, Durham, DH1 3LE. [email protected] Tom Lord Lower Winskill, Langcliffe, Settle, North Yorkshire, BD24 9PZ. [email protected]. Sven Lucas Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS. [email protected]. v Alison Macleod Dept of Geography, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham. TW20 0EX. [email protected]. Clive R. Maton Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences, Birkbeck University of London, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HX. [email protected]. A. M. McCabe MRIA Dept. Of Environmental Science, University of Ulster, Cromore Road, Coleraine, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. BT52 1SA. [email protected] Jon Merritt British Geological Survey, Murchison House, West Mains Road Edinburgh, EH9 3LA. [email protected] Nicholas Midgley School of Animal, Rural & Environmental Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Brackenhurst Campus, Southwell, Nottinghamshire, NG25 0QF. [email protected]. Phil Murphy School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT. [email protected]. Julian Murton Permafrost Laboratory, Department of Geography, University of Sussex, Brighton, BN1 9QJ. [email protected]. Frank Oldfield University of Liverpool; 5 Barn Hey, Meols Drive, Hoylake, CH47 4DF. [email protected]. Matthew Owen Department of Geography, University College London Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT. [email protected]. Adrian Palmer Dept of Geography, Royal Holloway, University of London. Egham, Surrey, TW20 0EX. [email protected]. Emrys Phillips British Geological Survey, Murchison House,West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3LA. [email protected]. Matt Pope Institute of Archaeology, 31- 34 Gordon Square, London, WC1H OPY. [email protected]. vi Colin Prosser Landscape and Geodiversity Team, Natural England, Unex House, Bourges Boulevard, Peterborough, PE1 1NG. [email protected]. Neil Roberts School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences Plymouth University, Plymouth PL4 8AA. [email protected]. Pat Sargeant 14 Carn Brea Village, Redruth, Cornwall. TR15 3BL. [email protected]. Danielle Schreve Dept of Geography, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham. TW20 0EX. [email protected]. Katharine Scott St Cross College, Oxford, OX1 3LZ. [email protected]. Ian Shennan Sea-Level Research Unit, Department of Geography, Durham University, Durham, DH1 3LE. [email protected]. Allan Straw, University of Exeter, 31 Tilmore Gardens, Petersfield, Hants, GU32 2JE. [email protected]. Eileen Tisdall Biological and Environmental Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, Scotland, FK9 4LA. [email protected]. Louise Tizzard Wessex Archaeology, Coastal & Marine, Portway House, Old Sarum Park, Salisbury, SP4 6EB. Martyn Waller School of Earth Sciences and Geography, Kingston University, Penrhyn Road, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, KT1 2EE, UK. [email protected]. Tony Waltham 11 Selby Road, Nottingham, NG2 7BP. [email protected]. Peter Wilson. Environmental Sciences Research Institute, School of Environmental Sciences, University of Ulster, Coleraine, Co. Londonderry, BT52 1SA. [email protected]. vii CONTENTS Introduction..............................................................................................1 Abermawr ...........................................................................................................4 Area 240 .............................................................................................................5 Arisaig: From the Ru Peninsula to Mointeach Mhor...................................... 6 Askillaun............................................................................................................7 Auchenlaich or ‘Callander’ Moraine.................................................................8 Barra Fan............................................................................................................9