London Clay

▪ geology

      major division of Eocene rocks in the London Basin of England (the Eocene Epoch lasted from 57.8 to 36.6 million years ago); it immediately underlies much of the city of London. The London Clay overlies the Reading Beds, underlies the Bagshot Sands, and is included in the Ypresian Stage, the lowermost division of Eocene rocks and time. In the London Basin the London Clay is as much as 200 metres (600 feet) thick and is brown, bluish, or gray. In the regions of Greater London and Surrey, the upper portions of the London Clay consist of alternating clays and sands that are sometimes known as the Claygate Beds.

      Although animal fossils are not especially abundant in the London Clay, a diverse faunal assemblage has been discovered through comprehensive sampling at a number of localities. Mollusks dominate the animal assemblage, but fishes, brachiopods, worms, foraminifera, crabs, and cirripedes also occur. The diverse and abundant fossil plant assemblage discovered in the London Clay has proved to be of exceptional importance. Terrestrial plants, including trees and leaves, were swept out to sea by currents or storms, became waterlogged, and sank into the soft sediments at the bottom of the basin. Logs are preserved, as are the seeds and fruits of palms, dicots, and conifers; the large fruits of the modern palm genus Nypa, currently restricted to the deltas and swamps of India, are exceptionally abundant. The plant and animal assemblages are indicative of warm, probably tropical climatic conditions that prevailed in western Europe during the Eocene. The discovery of crocodile remains in the London Clay further confirms this interpretation.

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