Gilbert's Pit, Maryon Park, SE7

Image: © David Hallam-Jones Taken: 4 May 2014

Gilbert's Pit (a.k.a. Charlton Sand Pits), with its visible striations of chalk and fossil material, has attracted geological interest for over a hundred years because of its ability to provide information on some 55 million years of geological history. Gilbert's Pit is a geological SSSI, with an excellent exposure of the Lower Tertiary Sequence. The Pit was once part of the estate of the Maryon-Wilson family. From the late C18th until 1889 it was worked for fine sand, it being named being chosen from one of the managers, The Pit was part of the estate of the Maryon-Wilson family. From the late eighteenth century to 1889 it was worked for sand. It was named after The Pit was part of the estate of the Maryon-Wilson family. It was named after Mr E. Gilbert, one of its managers, who at one time supervised the extraction of fine sand from it. It was purchased by the London County Council in 1930 and is now managed the London Borough of Greenwich officials.

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