Fossil hunting in London and the South East

Girl playing on the beach at Birling Gap, East Sussex

Birling Gap near Eastbourne in East Sussex, is part of the world-famous Seven Sisters chalk cliffs, one of the longest stretches of undeveloped coastline on the south coast and also our best spot for finding fossils.

‘The chalk cliffs of the South Downs are continually eroding, meaning a lot of Cretaceous fossils are found here. Everyone will find something here to intrigue them,' says Natasha Sharma, our learning officer.
 
Occasionally referred to as ‘Dinosaur Island’, the Isle of Wight is also a rich source of fossils. Compton Bay is particularly popular for this.