Bognor Regis fossils and fossil collecting

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Head to the seafront of the western end of Bognor Regis. On maps, the district is marked as Aldwick, (or on OS maps, it marked as ‘Bognor Rocks’). This is someway west of the pier.
Excellent parking exists along seafront.
You will know if you get to the correct location since, at Aldwick, there is a long line of beach huts running beside the beach and the parking area. The foreshore behind the beach huts is the best area to collect from.
London Clay exposures can be found both east and west of Aldwick, but are mostly concentrated around the beach near to the beach huts.

SZ 934987 – SZ 889970
50.77960°N, 0.69369°W

bivalves, fish remains, insects,
plant remains, worm tubes.

Bognor can be an outstanding London Clay location. Unlike the classic sites of Kent and Essex, this site yields insects, plant remains and a large number of brachiopods and bivalves. Some of these shells are enormous. When beach conditions are favourable, expect to find lots.

High

The problem with Bognor is that beach conditions are not always favourable. However, when beach scouring occurs, you can come home with bags of finds. Having said this, even when the London Clay is covered by sand, concretions are normally found, which are packed with brachiopods and bivalves.

Suitable for children

Although this location is suitable for children, they must be told to keep away from the mud flats and areas of soft clay.

Easy Access

Bognor is easy to get to, the fossil location is not too far to walk to and the area is very good for families and children. Being a large town, there are plenty of shops. Parking can be found all along the seafront.

Foreshore

Fossils can only be found during scouring conditions, when the clay is exposed on the foreshore. When exposed, it is easy to find large hard blocks of the clay, as they protrude out from the sand. These are often packed with shells.

No Restrictions

There are no restrictions at this location, but please follow our own code of conduct for all locations.

Bognor Regis
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

Common sense when collecting at all locations should be used and you should always check tide times before going. There are no cliffs, but there is danger from the soft clay during scouring conditions, as it can be easy to get stuck. If you do get stuck, the tide then becomes a danger.

Last updated:	2012
last visited:	2012
Written by:	Alister and Alison Cruickshanks
Edited by:	Jon Trevelyan

Locations similar to Bognor Regis

If you are interested in other similar locations which have London Clay, try Nacton, Ramsholt, Bawdsey, Maylandsea, Levington, or Burnham on Crouch. If you enjoy collecting from the London Clay, you can also try the
Isle of Sheppey which is the best location in the UK for London Clay fossils or Walton-on-Naze in Essex.


Bognor Regis is a type locality for many of the insects found in the London Clay. A number of special papers have been written over the years, in particular, on the many species of beetle found here. The most common fossils here are brachiopods, bivalves and worm tubes. Some of the shells here are huge, including the very large Pinna affinis, which can grow to incredible lengths. Plant fossils can also be found. Fossils can be found on the foreshore to the western end of Bognor, but can also be found on the beaches to the east and west of the beach huts. Often, excellent exposures of London Clay can be found on at least one part of the beach, but even if this is not the case, you can still find fossils if you look hard enough. This is because most of the brachiopods and bivalves are found in concretions in the clay. Some of these blocks can be very hard and protrude out of the clay. Therefore, even if beach conditions are poor, you should still be able to see some blocks rising above the sand. Take a spade or trowel to dig these out. Large concretion within the London Clay

	Eocene, 48mya
The London Clay is approximately 47 to 48myrs old and is from the Ypresian stage of the lower Eocene. This is the most easterly exposure and divisions A to C of the London Clay are exposed on the foreshore during the right conditions. Large, hard blocks of the clay are rich in molluscs....[more]


Large Pinna affinis shell .....[more]

The fossils from Bognor Regis are found on the foreshore, but tend to be found in large hard blocks. Even when conditions are poor, you can still see these rocks protruding out of the beach, so a spade comes in handy. A pick is ideal for the softer clay, but a hammer will be needed for the hard blocks.

Geological Tools

Microscopes

Test Sieves for Microfossils

Geological Supplies and Geology Equipment. Suppling Retail, Education and Trade in the UK, Europe and beyond. We have over 11,000 products online with everything from geological hammers and picks to a wide range of field equipment, rocks, minerals, fossils, geological and even microscopy!

Everything you need from books to geological maps, and sieves to chemicals to treat fossils.

We ship worldwide.

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. We also sell petri dishes, to help you store your fossils.

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.