Seatown fossils and fossil collecting
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 Seatown can be reached by following a narrow shore road just opposite the Castle Inn in Childeock. There is a small car park at Seatown, highly recommended. This road is NOT SUITABLE for large vehicles since it is extremly narrow.
Golden Cap, is on your right from the car park at Seatown. During winter months, this area of coastline can be dangerous as the sea always hits the base of the cliff. Sometimes during storms, the sea doesn't even retreat, so extra care must be made.
There is a charge for parking at seatown, this is normally around £3.00, but is an all day ticket.
GRID REF: 50.72258°N, 2.84052°W
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ammonites, belemnites, reptiles, crinoids, fish, mollusc's, microfossils, minerals |
During scouring tides, Seatown turns into an 'ammonite kingdom', they can be simply picked up along the foreshore, ideal for children. There is also a superb pub with views of Golden Cap. Fossils can be found all year round. Microfossils and minerals can also be found at Seatown. |
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Foreshore, Cliffs, Microfossils The vast majority of the fossils are found on the foreshore at Seatown, many in small nodules found in the pebbles. Fossils can also be found during scouring conditions on the foreshore clays. There is also an eye-level hard layer where ammonites can be found at the lower part of the Golden Cap cliff, and of course fossils can also be found in the slippages. This is also an excellent location for microfossils which can be found by taking samples from the pockets of crinoids and belemnites in the Belemnite Stone Beds during scouring conditions. |
No Hammering Cliff
This site is part of the Jurassic World Heritage Coastline. Please follow the Fossil Code of Conduct. Access is permitted SSSI -
NO HAMMERING THE CLIFF PRIVATE LAND
This is 'Private Land', Access for digging is strictly forbidden.
Damage has already been caused to this heritage site by people using power tools. This is strictly against SSSI rules and any attempt to ignore these rules may result in prosecution. |
Common sense when collecting at all locations should be taken and knowledge of tide times should always be noted.
The tide often reaches the base of the cliff. It is easy to get cut off from the tide, once past the headland at Seatown at both ends, you cannot tell how high the sea is at Seatown beach.
Return at the turn of tide. The cliffs at Seatown are extremly high and you should keep well away from the base of the cliff, cliff and rock falls are very common, Hard Hats are recommended. |
Seatown
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
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Accommodation
Higher Spence
Farm Cottage, beautiful location 3 miles Charmouth. Double and Family rooms En Suite.
Contact: Christine Nutkins
Tel: UK (01297) 560556
Tel: International +441297 560556 Address: Higher Spence, Wootton, Fitzpaine, Charmouth, Dorset.
Email: higherspence@eurolink.ltd.net Website: (Typing "Higher Spence into your search engine)
Dorset coastal cottages
We are a holiday agent for 120 carefully selected and inspected cottages within 10 miles of Dorset's spectacular World Heritage Coast and Path. All are old, many are beamy and thatched, most have open fires or logburners plus central heating. Rents include electricity, gas etc. and all linen/towels.
Rentable by the week or 3 day Short Break all year round!!
Please call: 0800 9804070 for a Brochure or visit our website on www.dorsetcoastalcottages.com
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£10/Year or 'FREE' for return links from accommodation website pages. |
Last updated:
last visited:
Written by: |
25/02/08
2008
Alister and Alison Cruickshanks
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From the car park at Seatown, as you walk towards Golden Cap, the first part of the cliff is unfossiliferious and you will not make any finds, as you approach you will notice that a light coloured hard band appears in the cliff (See above), this bed contains ammonites and reach's eye-level. Often lumps can be found at the base of the cliff and these can be split, but keep an eye on this layer as it runs towards Golden Cap as it contains many ammonites.
As you get closer to the peak of Golden Cap, often very fine shingle mixed with pyrites and clay can be found on the foreshore. Amongst the pebbles fossils can be found. This may be a 'on your knees job', look carefully and you should make some finds....[more]
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Jurassic, 185mya |
Seatown is Jurassic, 180 million years old -
At Golden Cap, the Late (Upper) Greensand can be seen from miles around, it even glows in the dark and gave its name to 'Golden Cap'. This and the Gault Clay which is below the greensand makes up the first 60m of the cliff which is of the Cretaceous age.
Below this, 22m of Down Cliff Sands mark the start of the Jurassic Formation. resting on its base is the 'Starfish Bed' whereby fossil starfish can be found, which continues at Thorncombe Beacon, these are more common at Thorncombe Beacon because they are much lower and the beds are slightly thicker....[more]
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There are many different fossils that can be found at Seatown. The most common are ammonites. These can be found on the foreshore around the shingle, in nodules and within the Belemnite Stone Bed (when exposed). Belemnites are the second most common find, along with crinoids. Reptile remains, brachiopods, bivalves and microfossils can all be found....[more]
Common pyretic ammonite from Seatown....[more]
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The best samples for microfossils are from the Belemnite Stone Beds. At Seatown, during the winter months, the sea exposes the clay at the base of the cliff, this also occurs during scouring conditions at other times of the year. A layer with pockets of crinoids and belemnites can be seen in the clay, these pockets occur at random areas, and it is the clay surrounding them which is superb for microfossils. The microfossils became trapped by the macro-fossils which is why these areas at Seatown are so good.....[more] |
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It is not only fossils that can be found at Seatown. Like Charmouth, Fools Gold (Iron Pyrites), is very common. Many of the small ammonites you can collect along this coastline are actually also pyrite, which is why the give a 'gold' colour. Iron Pyrites can be found amongst the shingle, or within the Belemnite Stone Bed during scouring conditions....[more] |
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Most of the fossils at Seatown (Golden Cap) are found on the foreshore in small nodules. Breaking these nodules with standard hammers will break the fossil since the fossil is softer than the rock. It is best to take the nodules back home, and using a knife, rock etcher, air preparation tools or very fine chisel gently work on removing the matrix bit by bit. Microfossils can also be found at this location, but you will need a microscope and sieve for this....[more] |
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Other Locations similar to Seatown
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There are many locations in the UK which can be seen to be similar to Charmouth, apart from those in the nearby proximity such as Chippel Bay, Lyme Regis, Thorncombe Beacon and Charmouth,
in South Wales, you can also try Llantwit Major, and Lavernock. There are plenty of good locations along the Yorkshire Coast too, such as Staithes, Saltwick Bay, Port Mulgrave, Kettleness, Whitby, Ravenscar, Runswick Bay, Sandsend, and many more. In Somerset there are also many locations such as Watchet, Quantoxhead, Kilve, Doniford Bay, St Audries Bay, Lilstock, and Hinkley Point.
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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.
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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. |
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