Prehistoric Fossil Fishing at the Farm – Jurassic Marine World Unearthed in a Farmer’s Field

In a farmer's field in Gloucestershire, England, a remarkable ancient site with animal remains from a tropical sea has been found.

The fossils were amazingly well preserved and were found beneath a field where an old breed of English Longhorn cattle formerly grazed. Although the fossils are about 183 million years old, they appear to have been frozen in time.

The remnants of fish, ancient marine reptiles, squids, uncommon insects, and more have been discovered for the first time within three-dimensionally preserved limestone concretions by a team of paleontologists. The fossils were discovered in a stratum of inland rock that was last exposed in the UK more than a century ago. It offers a rare chance to unearth fossils from a time when this region of the nation was submerged in water.

The newly discovered location is at Court Farm in Kings Stanley, Gloucestershire, not far from Stroud. Fossil collectors Sally and Neville Hollingworth made the find. The BBC One documentary "Attenborough and the Mammoth Graveyard" in 2021 showed the recent discovery of mammoth remains in the neighboring Cotswold Water Park.

These fossils are from the Early Jurassic, especially the Toarcian period, Sally and Neville stated. A significant number of fossilized marine vertebrate remains have been found in the clay layers exposed at this location close to Stroud that are comparable to the famous and exquisitely preserved fauna of the Strawberry Bank Lagerstätte from Ilminster, Somerset, a prehistoric site of exceptional fossil preservation. Over the last week, excavations at Kings Stanley have uncovered a rich source of fossils, especially from a unique stratum of rock that hasn't been seen since the late 19th century.

The Rutland Ichthyosaur, which also dates to the Toarcian geological era, was recently discovered by Dr. Dean Lomax, a paleontologist and visiting scientist at The University of Manchester. Dr. Lomax was a member of the team and commented, "The site is quite remarkable, with numerous beautifully preserved fossils of ancient animals that once lived in a Jurassic sea that covered this part of the UK during the Jurassic. Such fossil-rich inlands are uncommon in the UK. The fossils we have gathered will undoubtedly serve as the foundation for future study efforts.

"The location is very amazing; it has a large number of exquisitely preserved fossils of prehistoric species that formerly roamed the Jurassic sea that covered this region of the UK. Such fossil-rich inlands are uncommon in the UK. The fossils we have gathered will undoubtedly serve as the foundation for future study efforts.

The local Museum in the Park in Stroud will get a large portion of the fossils obtained, and these specimens will play an important role in the museum's paleontology collections. "We're pleased to increase our understanding of the geology of the Stroud District and we are looking forward to a day when we can share these great discovery with our members and visitors," said Alexia Clark, one of the team members and the museum's Documentation and Collections Officer. It has been an absolute honor to be a member of the excavation crew, and I can't wait to tell our members' newsletter all about it.

Several fossil fish with remarkable details of their scales, fins, and even eyes were among the top discoveries. One of the most amazing finds was a three-dimensionally preserved fish head from the Pachycormus genus of Jurassic fish. The fish appears to be "leaping from the rock" it was enclosed in. Steven Dey of ThinkSee3D has produced a digital 3D replica of this fossil.

The Court Farm fossils were quickly buried, according to field observations and preparation of the fauna discovered thus far. This is supported by the lack of any encrusting creatures or burrows in the mud. Due to the preservation of the original sediment layering, the stratified concretions around the bones developed quite early before the sediments were compacted. As a result, the fossils were maintained in three dimensions and shielded from additional compaction and compression by the underlying sediments during burial.

"Using the most up-to-date fossil preparation and imaging techniques will provide a rich repository," Neville further stated. Additionally, after excavations are finished, a permanent reference part will be left behind. There will be opportunities for neighborhood organizations and local schools to participate in the research, particularly from the Stroud area with a focus on reaching audiences in areas with low STEM capital, so it is hoped to plan and develop a local STEM enrichment program given the location and enthusiasm of the landowner and local community to be involved.

Adam Knight, the property's owner, expressed his excitement: "I'm delighted that, following the initial work that Sally and Nev did over three years ago, we now have a full-scale dig on the farm involving a variety of fossil experts from The Natural History Museum, The University of Manchester, University of Reading, and The Open University. As part of her job experience before attending college to study paleontology, Emily Baldry, 16, joined us on Friday. It's lovely to witness her passion for her chosen field. It has been an absolute joy to host the dig, and I'm eager to see what has been discovered.

The Geologists' Association Curry Fund, which provided funding for the excavation stage, is much appreciated by the paleontology team. The team will carry on examining the samples and disseminating their study, with plans to exhibit the fossils at the Museum in the Park in Stroud and the Boho Bakery Café at Court Farm in Kings Stanley, Gloucestershire.

By UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER