About the event
Blockley Station Quarry in Gloucestershire offers one of the most complete exposures of the Upper Clays of the Lower Lias, specifically the Pliensbachian Ibex Zone (~193 million years ago). Its soft clay deposits, laid down in low-energy marine conditions, have preserved a remarkable diversity of invertebrate fossils—including ammonites, nautiluses, belemnites, gastropods, bivalves, and crinoid ossicles—often in exceptional condition.
Drawing on 18 years and 89 field visits to the site, Alan will share insights into the quarry’s geology, fossil assemblage, and the practical challenges and rewards of long-term amateur fieldwork. The talk will appeal to both palaeontologists and hobbyists, offering a detailed look at Blockley’s fossil record and its significance within the Lower Jurassic of the English Midlands.
Alan has collaborated with regional museums and in 2014, Alan organised the donation of a 3-ton limestone block containing more than 80 Clypeus echinoids to the London Natural History Museum, London. He also organised a week-long field trip to Woodeaton Quarry for the NHM.
Alan is currently exhibiting Blockley fossils at Court Barn Museum in Chipping Campden until 14 September, as part of the Northcot Brick centenary exhibition. https://courtbarn.org.uk/
Accessibility information
| Wheelchair accessible? |
Yes |
| Hearing loops? |
No |
| Seating? |
Yes |
| Refreshments? |
No |
| Flashing lights? |
No |
| Loud noises? |
No |
For more information, please visit our accessibility webpage.
