The Geology of Kent Online Course

About the event

This online course will begin with an introduction to the geology of Kent - looking at the landscape and the geological structures that dictate the sequence of sedimentary beds to be seen on the ground. Most examples will be taken from Kent, although we will stray outside the county border on occasion.

Our review of the county geology starts with the oldest rocks found below ground before moving forward in time to the Early Cretaceous looking at the Wealden beds laid down in a terrestrial environment. We shall look at the different rocks types that make up the High Weald and the Low Weald followed by a look at some of the more impressive fossils that can be found.

In the second online session, we shall move forward in time to the beds of the Lower Greensand, Gault Clay and Chalk where we look at a range of rock types deposited in contrasting marine environments. Again consideration will be given to how these rocks influence the Kentish landscape.

Finally we shall consider the unconformity between the Chalk succession and what it represents and then review the overlying sands and clays. There will then follow a roundup of the younger, and usually more localised, sedimentary rocks such as the Lenham Beds, Sarsen Stones, periglacial deposits, river deposits and coastal sediments.

Each session of this online course will run for approximately 2.5 hours and will include presentations, discussions and tea/comfort breaks.  

By the end of the course attendees should have a basic understanding of the environment of deposition in which London Clay, Chalk, Lower Greensand and the Wealden Beds were laid down, along with an appreciation of how the physical landscape of the county reflects the underlying geology. 

Led by Geoff Downer, Geologist