Fossil Hunting in London
There are very few sites in London where you can collect fossils, this is obviously because it is an urbanised area. It is more likely that temporary sites become available for the building and construction. The Eocene London Clay can be found beneath the City of London, so when new major construction projects begin, they extract from this layer. Abbey Wood is just about the only static location, but of which you need to join on a public event. The Eocene beds at Abbey Wood are dug out during field trips, often held once a year. The beds are full of shark, birds and mammals. |
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Abbey Wood's highly Fossilferious Shell beds, ideal for wet sieving. Extremely rich in Sharks teeth, mammal and bird remains and shells. You will to join with an organised group to visit this location where water is provided on site. |
 Cliff |
Fossils collected direct from cliff face |
 Foreshore |
Fossils collected from the foreshore |
 Cliff/Foreshore |
Fossils collected from the cliff and foreshore |
 Quarry |
Location is a quarry or pit |
 Stream |
Fossils collected from a stream or river bed, |
 Field |
Fossils collected from a farm field |
 Cutting |
Fossils collected from road or railway cutting. |
 Scree Slope |
Fossils collected from hill or mountain scree slope. |
 Rock Outcrop |
Fossils collected from rock outcrops. |
 Lake / Reservoir |
Fossils collected from lake or reservoir banks. |
 Microfossils |
Samples taken back for processing microfossils. |

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Fossils are common |
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Fossils often found |
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Fossils are not common |
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Fossils rarely found |
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Site protected, no collecting permitted, or no access to beach |
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Quaternary
Neogene
Palaeogene
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Cretaceous
Jurassic
Triassic |
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Permian
Carboniferous
Devonian
Silurian
Ordovician
Cambrian / Pre Cambrian |
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