Strange geophysical features in the Newbald area.
Rodney Mackey, of the East Riding Archaeological Society, has sent me some images from detailed resistivity surveys at Newbald Lodge Farm and Walkington Wold Farm, which he considers not to be archaeological in origin. The surveys record strange shapes in the sub-soil and surface of the underlying Chalk.
Rodney writes
"I should think that geologists seldom get the opportunity to see images of the chalk surface over such large areas. Three main elements are visible at both sites:
1. very dark, deep, clay-filled 'sink' holes,
2. bedrock cracking
3. curious curvilinear 'ditch-like' formations with accompanying 20m-wide 'bank-like'
features. The ditch-like formations are filled with fine reddish, silty clay
and are about 1m deep (from the present surface).
4 .The 'bank & ditch-like' features are just visible in relief on both sites.
5. Both sites have abundant natural grey/white surface flint, as they are presumably on Middle Chalk. However, within the central area of the 'ear-like' formation at Newbald, there is a marked increase in the occurrence of Red Flint.
Are the curvilinear features created by differentials in the hardness of the chalk when it was laid down or are they created by later glacial action? I look forward to any opinions you can glean from the geological fraternity."
If you would like to send comments to Rodney please e-mail them to me and I will pass them on.
