Rockingham
Anomaly
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Rockingham Estate
The estate
68 hectares of inner - city London - steadily becoming one of the most biodiverse urban spaces in the countryThe estate
Why Rockingham is different
Why Rockingham is different
The Rockingham Anomaly
The Rockingham Anomaly
Rockingham Estate sits in the heart of SE1 — one of London's most densely built urban areas. Yet within its 62 hectares, a remarkable diversity of wildlife has established itself. This is the Rockingham anomaly: nature thriving in a place it has no right to be, because its community decided to make space for it .Centered right beneath the Rockingham Estate and surrounding streets in Southwark, this geological phenomenon is a massive 300 metre wide, 19 meter deep prehistoric crater. Unlike the dry graveled terrace that the rest of central London sits on, the anomaly is an isolated 'island' filled up with 5.5 metres of pure peat. A 2017 borehole sample confirmed the survival of pure peat beneath modern development. Pollen analysis of the peat, at 2 meters depth, revealed a prehistoric, boggy, woodland environment. This is typical of the Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age (between 5500 -3500 years ago. The anomaly is a exceptional geological and environmental archive, with the potential to document over 10 000 years of local history and environmental change. Further research could enhance understanding of the Holocene vegetation, climate and human impact in the London area.
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Trees on the estate450+
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Biodiversity corridors 5
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Working allotments2
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