Speeton fossils and fossil collecting

Access can be made directly from Speeton Cliffs, however, this is often changing and can be unpredictable.
We highly recommend going to Reighton Sands, and then walking to Speeton, which is not far.
To the North of the village of Reighton, along the A165, you will see signs to the Reighton Sands Holiday Village. Take this road. Follow the road, but passing the holiday village. This is Reighton Gap. You will come to a gravel car parking area with a walk down to the beach.
The concrete slipway down is badly slipped, being cracked and worn with parts a little steep. Near the bottom, the path can be muddy and slippery. Once on the beach, walk South East until you get to Speeton Cliffs.

GRID REF: 54.16254°N, 0.23310°W

Ammonites, Belemnites, Molluscs, Shrimps
Reptiles, Fish, Echinoids, Microfossils.

The Highly productive Speeton Clay yields everything from ammonites, fish, shells to Crustaceans. Similar to the famous Folkestone Beds. Speeton is an excellent location for all the family but can be very sticky in winter months.

High

Speeton yields excellent ammonite specimens and belemnites. Sometimes these are found in nodules. However, shrimps and even reptile remains can all be found, often during the scouring season or after heavy rains. Fossils are also very easy to find, you don't need any tools, just simply pick them out of the clay.

Sometimes suitable

This location is sometimes suitable for children. The problem is the site changes frequently, with times of excellent access and other times of poor access with a steep decline. There is a lovely sandy beach for children to play, which extends quite a way out. This is an ideal day out for the family, but access may have to be made from Reighton.

Fair Access

Access to Speeton is best via Reighton Sands, and you can do both locations at the same time. Head to the Reighton Sands Holiday Village and park at the top of the cliff.

Cliffs, Foreshore

Most of the fossils can be found on the foreshore especially after storms or scouring conditions, but fossils are also commonly found in the cliff and scree slopes.

No Restrictions

There are no restrictions at this site, hammering and collecting is permitted. However we ask that you follow our fossil code of conduct which can be found in the link below.

Common sense when collecting at all locations should be taken and knowledge of tide times should always be noted. The Speeton Clay can be very sticky and you should take care not to get stuck in the clay.

The cliffs are always crumbling, cliff falls are common especially after heavy rain, so please keep away from the base of the cliff where it overhangs.

Speeton
Tide Times

UK Tidal data is owned by Crown Copyright, and therefore sadly we are not allowed to display tide times without paying expensive annual contracts. However we sell them via our store, including FREE POSTAGE
Click here to buy a tide table

Last updated:	2010
last visited:	2010
Written by:	Alister and Alison Cruickshanks

During scouring tides, fossils can be simply picked up from the foreshore, however picks and knives are handy to get fossils out of the clay.

In general you don't need any tools, but we do recommend taking paper to wrap your finds and something to put your finds in such as our field collecting boxes which can be collected from our store.

When cleaning your fossils, an old toothbrush will come in very handy to wash away the clay.

Locations similar to Speeton

If you enjoy Speeton, you could also try Folkestone in Yorkshire which has very similar fossils to Speeton.

Other locations with Gault Clay are; Charmouth; Golden Cap (Seatown) ; Thorncombe Beacon; Eastbourne; Yaverland; Rocken End

For other locations with the 'Red Chalk', try Hunstanton which is also of a very similar age to the Speeton Clay.


Most of the fossils at Speeton can be found by searching at the base of the cliff and scree slopes especially after heavy rain or winter high tides. Heavy rain washes fossils down from the clay and these can be picked up at the base. Sometimes the foreshore can be scoured out and this also makes excellent collecting opportunity. Sometimes fossils can be seen sticking out of the cliff face, but the vast majority are found at the base or foreshore. You can also visit the chalk both the red chalk and white chalk. Search the foreshore boulders for fossils such as Echinoid's and Belemnites.

Cretaceous, 100 mya

The Speeton Clay is part of the Aptian to Middle Albian from the Cretaceous. At Speeton the Speeton Clay formation is split into 4 beds, Bed A, B, C and D. Beds D Start from just past the Reighton Gap holiday camp past New Closes cliff, Beds C start from Black cliff up to Speeton Beck and Beds B and A start from Speeton Beck up to Red Cliff hole. The entire formation is usually slipped, so it is often very difficult to pinpoint any particular horizon without finding the relevant fossils...[more]

Speeton Clay (Right), Chalk and Red chalk (Middle), Glacial left

There is a huge variety of fossils found at Speeton, of course from the famous Speeton Clay, but also from the Red Chalk. Fossils from the Speeton Clay include many Ammonites, the uncoiled Aegocriocers are quite common. Endemoceras regale, Nautilus and many small pyritised Ammonites are often found. It is not just Ammonites that make the Speeton Clay so interesting, Belemnites , many different types of shells and remains are found. The Speeton Shrimp "Meyeria ornata" is one of the most talked about though many other important finds such as Icthyosaur bones and other reptile remains do crop up from time to time.

The Red Chalk both yields the occasional Ammonites, Belemnites and shells, their is a small exposure to the North of the Speeton Clay.

Ammonites from Speeton
Ammonite from Speeton....[more]

Ostracods
Foraminifer

Speeton is an excellent location for microfossils. Samples of the Speeton Clay can be taken home and broken down in warm soapy water. Leave for a few days, and then using sieves of 300 and 500 microns, sieve the sediment.

You will need a microscope to view the fossils. Foraminifer and Ostracods are common along with sea urchin spines, teeth and fragments of bone. Mollusc's such as gastropods are also common. You only need a small amount of sample...[more]

Stone Tumblers

Microscopes

Test Sieves for Microfossils

If you are interested in fossil collecting, then you may also be interested in a stone tumbler (Lapidary). You can polish stones and rocks from the beach which will look fantastic polished using a stone tumbler.

You can polish rough rock and beach glass whilst collecting fossils, on those days where you come back empty handed. These are all high quality machines to give a professional finish to your samples. They can even be used for amber and fossils.

At most locations, you can find microfossils. You only need a small sample of the sand. You then need to wash it in water and sieve using a test sieve. Once the sand is processed, you can then view the contents using a microscope.

We have a wide range of microscopes for sale, you will need a Stereomicroscope for viewing microfossils. The best one we sell is the IMXZ, but a basic microscope will be fine. Once you have found microfossils, you will need to store these microfossils.

Test Sieves are used when searching for microfossils. Microfossils can be found in many locations, and all you need is a small amount of sample such as clays, sands and shales, or if you have acid, limestone, oolite or chalk.

Our UKGE Store sells Endecotts Test Sieves, which are the highest in accuracy and extremely durable and long lasting. These Test Sieves are fantastic for microfossils. Endecotts Test Sieves come in a variety of sizes, frame material and types, they are certificated to EU Standards.