Some consequences of peri-glacial processes and post-glacial adjustment in Southern England

Abstract

Many Pleistocene gravel terraces in Southern England are obscured beneath clay material on their uphill or landward side. This is described in one instance, when it is shown that the clay contains drift material from some distance upslope. The clay-over-gravel soils are of considerable agronomie value: indeed within this particular landscape many of the soil properties which most directly affect current land use may be attributed to the results of peri-glacial and post-glacial processes. It is also demonstrated how "stone-lines" may be formed by the burial of alluvial gravel deposits in minor drainage ways. The deposition of gravel and its burial beneath clay cannot have taken place under the same climate. It is pointed out that ''stone-lines", if formed by the burial of erosion pavements as has, been commonly suggested, must be similarly polygenetic.