This exhibition will provide some background and context to our many fossil finds in the collection, starting with an introduction to rock strata and how they were discovered by William Smith over 200 years ago.

Abingdon stands on a layer of Jurassic rock called Kimmeridge Clay. In that period, the continents as we know them today had not formed yet, and Abingdon was submerged in a shallow sea. This is why most of the fossils found in Abingdon are of marine creatures. There were some coastal areas nearby, though, as proven by the finds of dinosaur footprints at Ardley near Bicester.
We also put Abingdon into the context of other rock strata from the Jurassic period which are present in the wider Abingdon area,
and how they can be observed in the landscape.

This exhibition will go up in the Sessions Gallery of the Museum. In May it will be joined by a second display in the Attic, showcasing recent fossil finds here in Abingdon.

Free Admission