An extraordinary prehistoric site containing the remains of animals that lived in a tropical sea has been discovered in a farmer’s field in Gloucestershire.
The approximately 183-million-year-old fossils discovered beneath a field grazed by an ancient breed of English Longhorn cattle are surprisingly well-preserved as if frozen in time.
Encased in three-dimensionally preserved limestone mortars, the remains of fish, ancient marine reptiles, squid, rare insects and more have been revealed for the first time by a team of paleontologists. The fossils come from an internal layer of rock that was last exposed in the UK more than 100 years ago and represented a unique opportunity to collect fossils from a time when this part of the country was deep under water.
The new site is at Court Farm, Kings Stanley near Stroud, Gloucestershire and was discovered by Sally and Neville Hollingworth, keen fossil collectors who recently discovered mammoth remains in the nearby Cotswold Water Park, featured in the BBC One documentary ” Attenborough and the Mammoth Graveyard’ in 2021.
Sally and Neville explained: “These fossils are from the Early Jurassic, specifically the era called the Toarcian. The clay layers exposed at this site near Stroud have yielded a significant number of well-preserved marine vertebrate fossils comparable to the famous and remarkably preserved similar fauna of the Strawberry Bank Lagerstätte from Ilminster, Somerset—a prehistoric site of outstanding fossil preservation. Excavations at Kings Stanley over the past week have revealed a rich source of fossil material, particularly from a rare layer of rock not exposed since the end of the 19th century”.
Dr Dean Lomax, palaeontologist and visiting scientist at the University of Manchester, who recently led the excavation of the Rutland ichthyosaur also dating from the Toark geological age, was part of the team and said: ‘The site is quite remarkable. with many beautifully preserved fossils of ancient animals that once lived in a Jurassic sea that covered this part of the UK during the Jurassic. Inland sites with fossils like this are rare in the UK. The fossils we have collected will certainly form the basis of research projects for years to come.”
Many of the specimens collected will be given to the local Museum in the Park, Stroud, where they will form an important part of the museum’s palaeontological collections. One of the team, Alexia Clark, who is the museum’s Head of Documentation and Collections said: “We are excited to be expanding our knowledge of the geology of the Stroud area and look forward to a time when we can share these amazing finds. with our members and visitors. Being part of the excavation team has been a real privilege and I look forward to sharing details of this experience through our members’ newsletter.”
Among the best finds were several fossilized fishes with excellent details of their scales, fins and even eyes. One of the most impressive discoveries was a three-dimensionally preserved fish head, belonging to a species of Jurassic-era fish called Pachycormus. The fish looks like it is “jumping off the rock” it was contained within. A digital 3D model of this fossil has been created by Steven Dey of ThinkSee3D.
Field observations and preparation of the fauna found so far indicate that the Court Farm fossils were buried quickly, as indicated by the absence of any animals or burrows in the sediment. The layers around the skeletons formed relatively early before the compaction of the sediments, as the original layering of the sediment is preserved. These mortars prevented further compression and compaction by the overlying sediments during burial and thus preserved the fossils in three-dimensional time capsules.
Neville added: “Using the latest fossil preparation and imaging techniques to understand this unique fauna in greater detail will create a rich repository. We will also leave a permanent reference section after excavation is complete. Given the location and enthusiasm from the landowner and local people The participating community will hopefully design and develop a local STEM enrichment program as there will be opportunities for community groups and local schools to participate in the research, particularly from the Stroud area with a focus on targeting audiences in areas of low STEM capital.”
Landowner Adam Knight said: “I am delighted that following the initial work carried out by Sally and Nev three years ago, we now have a full excavation on the farm involving a range of fossil experts from the Natural History Museum . The University of Manchester, the University of Reading and the Open University. On Friday we were also joined by Emily Baldry (16) on a day’s work experience before going to University to study palaeontology—great to see her enthusiasm for her chosen profession. It was a real pleasure to host the dig and I’m excited to see the results of what has been found.”
Going forward, the team will continue to analyze the specimens and publish their research with the fossils scheduled to go on display at the Museum in the Park, Stroud and the Boho Bakery Café at Court Farm, Kings Stanley, Gloucestershire.
Fish-like marine reptile buried in southern Germany 150 million years ago Provided by University of Manchester
Reference: Jurassic sea world discovered on farm (2022, July 29) Retrieved July 29, 2022, from
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