Dinosaur fossils
Bone fragments and footprint casts, chiefly from the Isle of Wight's Wealden beds.
Triassic to Cretaceous; British finds are mostly Early Cretaceous and Jurassic. · Experienced to find
What is it?
Dinosaur remains in Britain are concentrated in the Wealden rocks of the Isle of Wight and the Sussex and Surrey Weald, with important finds elsewhere in Jurassic strata. Complete bones are rare and significant; most collectors encounter fragments, isolated teeth or footprint casts on the foreshore.
What does it look like?
Bone is usually dark brown to black, noticeably heavy, and shows a spongy internal texture on a broken surface. Footprint casts appear as raised three-toed shapes in blocks of ironstone or sandstone.
How to identify it
- 01Look for the honeycomb internal structure — no pebble has it.
- 02Bone tends to feel heavier than a rock of the same size.
- 03Report anything substantial: on the Isle of Wight, significant finds should be shown to the local museum service.
- 04Never dig into cliffs for bone. Collect only loose material from the foreshore.
Where to find dinosaur fossils in the UK
- 01Compton BayIsle of Wight · Isle of WightDinosaur fossils · Fossilised wood · Plant fossils · BivalvesModerateFamily friendlyBeach, CliffExplore location →
- 02Brook BayIsle of Wight · Isle of WightDinosaur fossils · Fossilised wood · Plant fossilsModerateBeach, CliffExplore location →
- 03Yaverland, SandownIsle of Wight · Isle of WightDinosaur fossils · Fossilised wood · Plant fossils · BivalvesEasyFamily friendlyBeach, CliffExplore location →
- 04Hastings and FairlightEast Sussex · SussexPlant fossils · Fossilised wood · Dinosaur fossils · BivalvesModerateBeach, CliffExplore location →