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Introduction
Fairlight is a small village located a short distance from the coast, approximately 4 miles north-east of Hastings. Over the years coastal erosion has consumed much of the village outskirts, and several homes have already toppled over the cliff! A recent study revealed the cliffs had retreated over 100 metres in the last century alone. Until recently Fairlight was unprotected from the sea, but in the early 1990s a project to construct a wave barrier was completed (see below-right). Today, erosion remains a big problem for the local inhabitants, but is now confined to the stretches either side of the barrier, and the foreshore immediately in front of it.
(Left) An abandoned house stands precariously close to the cliff edge. (Right) The cliffs at Fairlight Cove are now shielded by a large wave barrier.
The cliffs and foreshore are comprised of layers of sandstone and clay, deposited during part of the Early Cretaceous epoch, approximately 140 million years ago (mya), by an extensive river delta system that spread across the area.
Fossils can be found along the entire coastal stretch between Fairlight and Hastings. Among the finds made over the years include: dinosaur bones and footprints, horsetail stems and other plants, fresh-water bivalves, and fish remains. Although dinosaur remains are less common, when they are discovered their importance is usually very high - please notify Discovering Fossils or the Natural History Museum in London, if you discover something of importance.
Access to the beach is made alongside The Smuggler pub at Pett Level
Access to the beach is made a short distance east of Fairlight at Pett Level (click on the UK map at the top of the page for more detail). From the coast road, a small access road, running alongside The Smuggler pub, leads to the beach. Parking is available along the main road, opposite the pub (as seen above).
The cliffs at Pett Level and Fairlight are extremely unstable: falling rocks and large collapses occur without warning throughout the year. Please take care during your visit and avoid standing directly beneath the cliff. It's recommended to keep at least 8 metres from the cliff base; if your visit requires that you operate within this, we strongly advise the use of a hard hat (available online).
The geology of Fairlight
Fairlight provides an opportunity to explore part of the Early Cretaceous epoch, a time in the earth's history dating approximately 143-139 mya. There are two geologic stages present within the cliff and foreshore: the Berriasian (approximately 145-140 mya) and the Valanginian (approximately 140-136 mya), although the precise transition between the two is not clearly defined (figure 1).
(Figure 1) Panoramic view and detailed stratigraphy of the cliffs between Fairlight and Pett Level (2008).
The sequence between Hastings and Pett Level contains layers of sandstone and clay, deposited as sand and silt by rivers and streams that spread across a vast delta system (above sea level). During that time, Fairlight and the rest of Britain were part of the European landmass, located around 45 degrees north of the equator, on the same latitude of the south of France today.
For much of the Berriasian and Valanginian stages, the climate was sub-tropical with seasonal changes in temperature and rainfall. The mostly low-lying terrain was home to a rich plant fauna, revealed by the abundance of fossilised plant material found throughout the succession. Conifers and related plants were the dominant tree and cycad-like plants were also present. Grasses did not exist during the Cretaceous, instead the ground was covered by many small ferns. Perhaps the most exciting aspect of the sandstone at Fairlight is the presence of dinosaur bones and footprints, including both carnivorous (meat-eating) and herbivorous (plant-eating) eating species. These dinosaurs would have grazed and hunted respectively, along the river and lake sides, leaving their footprints in the soft sediment.
(Figure 2) View north-east at Fairlight Cove. The distinctive scrape marks across the Cliff End Sandstone are visible along the Haddock's Fault.
Moving along the coast from Pett Level, towards Fairlight Cove, the geology becomes increasingly older, assisted by the presence of two significant reverse faults: 'Haddock's fault' (figure 2 and 3) and 'Fairlight fault' (figure 4). These faults formed suddenly as energy was released from the pressure built up by Africa colliding with Europe - a process that created the Alpine mountain chain and uplifted south-east England into a large dome-shaped structure, known as the Wealden Anticline. As the uplifting took place, the rock at Fairlight was compressed laterally, forcing one side to slip upwards over the other.
At Haddock's fault, the cliffs on the south-west side have been thrust upwards: the lower section of the Ashdown Formation (Sandstone) is visible at beach level (figure 3). Over time erosion has removed the upper section of the Ashdown Formation. On the north-east side of the fault, the majority of the Ashdown Formation is below beach level; the overlying Wadhurst Clay Formation is visible in the middle to upper sections of the cliff face.
(Figure 3) View north-east at Fairlight Cove. The distinctive scrape marks across the Cliff End Sandstone are visible along the Haddock's Fault.
Since the original Alpine uplifting, the land on the immediate south-west side of Haddock's fault has slipped backwards (in the direction of its natural position), resulting in a visible slip-plane across the exposed Wadhurst Clay (highlighted yellow). This should not be confused with the earlier large-scale movement, which was in the opposite direction.
At the opposite end of Fairlight Cove a second reverse-fault (Fairlight Reverse Fault) can be seen (figure 4). Here the underlying Fairlight Clay (belonging to the Ashdown Formation) can be seen in the slumping cliffs and foreshore, south-west of the fault line. These clays were formed by fine sediment transported by rivers and streams, then deposited in a delta or deeper parts of a lake.
(Figure 4) View west across Fairlight Cove towards the Fairlight Fault - marking a change from Sandstone to Clay at beach level.
For more information about the features and processes controlling coastal fossil collecting locations click here.
Where to look for fossils?
Fossils can be found throughout the rocks at Fairlight and Pett Level, although the volume of finds tends to be relatively low compared to neighbouring coastal stretches. It can take several visits to Fairlight, without expert guidance, before a sufficient number of fossils have been observed, in order to build a picture of how this prehistoric environment may have looked.
The best place to search is on the exposed foreshore and among the boulders and shingle. At low-tide, provided shingle isn't covering its surface, the exposed Ashdown Formation (Sandstone) can be viewed on the foreshore (see photo below-left). During a recent Discovering Fossils event, a number of well preserved dinosaur footprints were located in situ at this location.
(Left) View from Fairlight Cove - the Ashdown Formation (Sandstone) is exposed on the foreshore. (Right) Ashdown Formation (Sandstone) at Pett Level.
Occasionally dinosaur, crocodile and turtle bones can be found loose among the boulders and shingle; fossilised bone tends to be dark brown, with a slightly pitted surface. The best technique to find bones is to walk very slowly indeed, carefully scanning your eyes for suspect rocks; they're not easily found, but not impossible to find either!
At Pett Level, some of the fallen boulders, originating from the upper part of the cliff (Wadhurst Clay Formation), are comprised of course conglomerate, known as the Cliff End Bone Bed. The photo below-left shows a split fragment of bone bed, containing a small, circular tooth belonging to the fish Lepidotes; a small, rectangular piece of unidentified bone can also be seen. Other finds include teeth belonging to the freshwater shark Hybodus and even small mammals.
(Left) Fragment of the Cliff End Bone Bed, containing a small bone - possibly rib, and fish tooth - Lepidotes. (Right) Close-up reveals broken quartz pebbles.
What fossil might you find?
The most commonly found fossils at Fairlight and Pett Level are collections of the bivalve Neomiodon, which are visible on the surface of many foreshore boulders. Plant remains are also common, in particular roots belonging to horsetail plants. Although dinosaur remains are rare, of those found, the most frequent include teeth, jaws, vertebrae, ribs and limb bones of the large bipedal (two-legged) Iguanodon.
(Left) Dinosaur footprint - Iguanodon, visible on the exposed foreshore - Ashdown Formation (Sandstone), at Fairlight Cove. (Right) A second Iguanodon footprint, located a few feet from the first.
(Left) Participants on a Discovering Fossils fossil hunt examining a large carnivorous dinosaur footprint - Baryonyx perhaps?. The fact that most body weight has been put on the tips of the toes may imply the animal was moving quickly. (Right) Close-up revealing the deep claw grooves.
(Left) A collection of small bivalves - Neomiodon, on the surface of a foreshore boulder. (Right) A close-up
(Left) A small unidentified plant fragment. (Right) Close-up
(Left) A rolled beach pebble from the Ashdown Formation (Sandstone), containing fragments of carbonised plant material. (Right) A fragment of the Cliff End Bone Bed, containing a small unidentified bone and fish tooth - Lepidotes.
(Left) An isolated fern pinnule, found within the Ashdown Formation (Fairlight Clay). (Right) A large, well preserved bivalve - Pseudunio valensis , from the Ashdown Formation (Fairlight Clay).
(Left) A member of Discovering Fossils holding a large piece of carbonised wood, found within the Ashdown Formation (Fairlight Clay). (Right) A close-up.
Protecting your finds
It's important to spend some time considering the best way to protect your finds onsite, in transit, on display and in storage. Prior to your visit, consider the equipment and accessories you're likely to need, as these will differ depending on the type of rock, terrain and prevailing weather conditions.
(Left) Fossil wrapped in newspaper, ready for transport. (Right) A small compartment box containing cotton wool is ideal for separating delicate specimens.
When you discover a fossil, examine the surrounding matrix (rock) and consider how best to remove the specimen without breaking it; patience and consideration are key. The aim of extraction is to remove the specimen with some of the matrix attached, as this will provide added protection during transit and future handling; sometimes breaks are unavoidable, but with care you should be able to extract most specimens intact. In the event of breakage, carefully gather all the pieces together, as in most cases repairs can be made at a later time...continued.
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