Promoting interest in the geology of Cambridgeshire, the UK and worldwide
MONTHLY MEETINGS
A programme of 10 monthly meetings, each including a talk, is held every year, running from September to June. These are held on the second Monday of the month at St Andrew’s Centre, Histon. Doors open 7 pm and talks start (unless stated otherwise) at 7.30 pm. Please arrive in good time (displays available for viewing – bring your rock and fossil items along for help with identification). Refreshments (coffee/tea/biscuits £1) available on arrival. Everyone welcome, free to CGS members, £3 non members.
Our programme for Sep 2024 to June 2025 is now available – see Events
NEXT MEETING
Monday 10th March 2025
7pm for 7.30 pm start
Crossrail Construction
by Dr Ursula Lawrence, WSP (Real Estate and Infrastructure) Ltd

A summary of the Crossrail project, explaining the main construction methods for the tunnels and stations. The Cretaceous to Holocene geology encountered along the route is presented including both the impact the geology has on the engineering and how recent infrastructure investigations have developed our knowledge of the geology of London. It also compares and contrasts the London geology with the Gault, more familiar locally.
Ursula is an engineering geologist with 35 years experience of geotechnical design of major infrastructure projects having worked on Crossrail and various sections of HS2. Ursula has a PhD in Civil Engineering and a Chartered geologist. Ursula has been involved with both the Engineering and South East Regional Groups of the Geological Society culminating in Chair of the Engineering Group 2020-2022. She has published a number of papers on ground risk in major infrastructure, London Basin geology and groundwater and the Clay-with-flints Formation. She is currently Assistant Editor of Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Hydrology.
Another four Walk Guides published on the Fen Edge Trail
In May 2024 four new Walk Guides were published. Each walk is a good introduction to the geology of the Cambridgeshire Fens, telling the story of tidal marshes in the Bronze Age, ancient river beds (roddons) and River Terrace Gravels of the Nene, Ouse and Cam from the ‘Ice Age’ and the Jurassic and Cretaceous seas that covered this part of the planet many millions of years ago. The walks also describe how local history has been affected by the landscape and how today’s villages, towns and cities are still closely linked to the origins of their location. All Walk Guides can be downloaded from the Fen Edge Trail website.
We hope to organise some guided walks on the routes in 2025.

4 New Walk Guides published on the Fen Edge Trail
December 2022,has seen the publication of 4 new Walk Guides including two with a difference: we have now expanded into the realms of podcasts and YouTube videos! Thanks to Paul S, Paul M (especially for the video) and Jeff for their work on the first three. Also thanks to Peter from the Word Garden who designed the fourth walk and produced the accompanying history podcast.
Earith: Old Bedford and 100 Foot with the Word Garden
All Walk Guides can be downloaded from the website and there are also links to the podcast and videos.





Previous Events
Field Trip Report – Burwell Local Geological Sites
The society organises occasional field trips to view important geological sites within the county and hopefully further afield in post pandemic times. These trips are primarily for our members.
In early summer 2021 we had a popular visit to the Burwell Local Geological Sites and are scheduling some others to East Pit, Cherry Hinton, a walk along the Fen Edge from Swaffham Bulbeck to Reach, a visit to Nine Wells chalk spring and a tour of the building stones of Cambridge city center. These are primarily for the benefit of members: any member wishing to participate should contact us.
A write up for this trip may be found here.


Newsletters
Our Autumn 2024 newsletter is now available to members.
Our previous newsletters are available to everyone (download below).
Email updates
Sign up for our email updates to hear about future talks, events and news of our projects.
Contact us
Cambridgeshire Landscapes
Cambridgeshire has a fascinating landscape and an interesting geology. See our Landscapes page for more details and download the excellent leaflet ‘The Mapping of Landscapes, Geology and Soils of Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire’ by Timothy Farewell, Peter Friend, Martin Whiteley and Joanna Zawadzk.