The Anglian Cold Stage

Abstract

Geomorphological, stratigraphical, pedological and palaeontological evidence has demonstrated that following the temperate environments which pertained during what may have been the final interglacial of the Cromerian Complex, cold conditions of the Anglian Stage affected the British Isles. As will be revealed below, most information concerning this Middle Pleistocene stage has accrued from East Anglia, with successions elsewhere traditionally considered to contain little or no representation of it. In recent years, however, the latter view has changed. An important consequence of this has been a questioning of the status of the Wolstonian Glaciation, formally designated as later in time (Mitchell et al. 1973a) (Table 1.1). Localities with deposits and/or landforms referred to the Anglian are shown in Figure 5.1.