Natural England - Neogene Period
Neogene Period
Age : 1.8 to 24 million years ago
Geography, environment and climate
Most of Britain was land during this period although shallow seas and tidal coastal plains occupied parts of eastern and southern England. Climatic conditions were cooler than those of the Palaeogene as Britain continued its northward migration to its present-day latitude. The end of this period marked the onset of glacial conditions in the northern hemisphere.
Key events
Southern England was affected by the collision of Africa with Europe which led to the building of the Alps. This produced a series of broad folds in the Chalk and overlying sediments, including the uplifted ridges along the flanks of these folds that now form the South Downs, the North Downs and the Chilterns.
Rock types and occurrence in England
Rocks of this age are confined to eastern England where shallow marine sands and clays belonging to the Crags form the solid geology to east Suffolk and east Norfolk. Limited evidence of terrestrial conditions is provided by small deposits of sands infilling depressions in the Carboniferous Limestone of Derbyshire.
