Essex Rock: Geology Beneath The Landscape

We are all living in an ice age, an ongoing event that has hugely affected Essex over the last 3 million years. Yet this county was born more than 500 million years ago. Our story begins when the land we know as Essex was part of a large continent close to the South Pole, tracing the geological processes that continue to shape the countryside around us. Each piece of rock is a storehouse of prehistorical information; even a simple pebble from the garden has its own complex tale to tell. Geology is the great detective science that can unlock these secrets. The form of the land, boulders on village greens, road cuttings, cliffs, stones in church walls – they can all bring geology to light in unexpected and fascinating ways.

Ian Mercer worked for the British Geological Survey and Geological Museum for 25 years and was Director of Education for the Gemmological Association of Great Britain for nearly two decades. After working as a geologist in the energy sector, Ros Mercer was a geology and physics teacher for more than 20 years. They have been leaders for the Essex Rock and Mineral Society for many years; UK national advisors for U3A Geology; and officers for GeoEssex – the county geoconservation steering group. In 2020, together they were awarded the Halstead Medal by the Geologists’ Association for their achievements as 'ambassadors in the promotion of geology, contributing to education at all levels'. Ian Mercer is the author of several books on related subjects.

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