Rusthall Common SSSI, Kent
Static (fossil) geomorphological site, integrity site.
Rusthall Common SSSI, Kent, is an important site for geomorphology. During the Quaternary Ice Age, southern England was never actually covered by glaciers but had a periglacial climate, with development of permafrost. The sandstone rocks at Rusthall Common, originally formed during the Cretaceous, exhibit a range of surface features which are characteristic of weathering in a periglacial environment. These weathering features occur on a range of scales, from small-scale textures on the rock surfaces to large-scale features such as the spectacular Toad Rock which was formed by periglacial wind erosion.
Unmanaged growth of trees and scrub over the years had obscured many of the geomorphological features of Rusthall Common. The Face Lift Programme funded a vegetation clearance project, from 2003 to 2005, to expose the important features. An interpretation panel was also produced to explain the importance of the site to visitors and to help limit damage to the sensitive geomorphological features.
