Sedbury cliff fossils and fossil collecting

On the opposite side of the River Severn from the famous Aust Cliff, is the much less famous Sedbury Cliffs. At what first appears to be a location similar but far less productive than Aust, is actually a very productive location for Jurassic fossils.

Locations similar to Sedbury

If you are interested in other similar locations to that of Sedbury, you can also try other neaby locations along the River Servern including Hock Cliff, Aust, Wainlode Cliff, and Westbury on Severn.

 

Along the Somerset coast, Blue Anchor and Lilstock are the best locations for Rhaetian fossils with Lavernock and Penarth both in South Wales being very popular locations.

 

You will need a good hammer and chisel at this location and paper to wrap fossils. We also recommend goggles to be wear when working with striking tools.

        

When collecting at Aust, you can see the Sedbury cliffs across the water. They appear somewhat overgrown which is a little misleading considering how productive they can be. When you reach Sedbury Cliffs, you will first be familiarised with the same formations as Aust. The famous red cliffs with the tea green marl and lias at the top. The cliff faces can only just be seen in between all the fallen trees. As you walk past the first part of the cliff, which is actually quite long, you will see blocks on the foreshore in the distance. These blocks, and particularly past the first headland, is where you start finding the fossils.

The blocks are of the Lower Lias, which towards the middle and end of Sedbury Cliffs, become quite thick at the top of the cliff. Far thicker than those of Aust. You may find a few ammonites and bivalves in this middle part of the cliff, but the best most productive blocks fall from the cliffs past the first headland.  Here, searching the blocks on the foreshore reveal the rocks are full of ammonites and bivalves, and splitting them often gives some decent finds.

There are different types of Lower Lias blocks, some with flatter ammonites, and others in a easy to split limestone. There are also superbly preserved calcite ammonites in a very hard blue limestone, similar to those found in the Birchi nodules in Charmouth. The ammonites can range in just a few millimetres to about  6 inches or more. Crinoids can be found loose in the fine material along the foreshore.

Of course, you can find blocks of the Triassic Westbury beds, like Aust, but they are far less common than Aust. It is often the case that you won’t find any blocks of these lying around, but if you do, similar fossils of teeth and bones can be found to the beds at Aust.

Blocks of Lower Lias limestone along the foreshore

Like Aust, most of the cliffs are of the Triassic, unfossiliferious Red Marls, and tea green marls. Above this is the Rhaetic beds, but of which are thinner than at Aust. The difference is that the Jurassic Lower Lias at Sedbury makes up a larger proportion of the beds than the opposite side of the Severn and are much more thicker. The lias at Aust are thin beds, mostly of shale. Here, thick limestone beds yields ammonites and brachiopods...[more]

Ammonites are very common at Sedbury Cliff ...[more]