Dinosaurs Of England
Dinosaurs Discovered On Our Shores
When we think of dinosaurs, American accents in films might make it easy to forget that these prehistoric creatures roamed all over the world. Fossils of dinosaurs have been found everywhere, including England, primarily in our south, and particularly along our so called ‘Jurassic Coast’. This UNESCO World Heritage Site stretches along the southern coastline of England and is renowned for its abundant fossils from the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods, providing vital insights into the ancient creatures that once inhabited the British landscape millions of years ago. Notable discoveries have also been made in North Yorkshire, offering a wider picture of the dinosaurs that roamed England during the Cretaceous period.
The English Dinosaurs
So far, 21 species of dinosaurs have been identified in England, from the Iguanodon to the Megalosaurus. However, their names, without context, may not mean much. So, here’s a closer look at five English dinosaurs that deserve the spotlight:
The Swindon Stegosaur – England’s Largest Dinosaur Skeleton
Discovered in a Swindon quarry in 1874, Dacentrurus armatus, a type of Stegosaur, was a large, armoured herbivorous dinosaur that lived about 150 million years ago. It holds the title of being England’s largest and most complete dinosaur skeleton. In fact, it was also the first Stegosaur skeleton ever found worldwide, providing crucial insights into what Stegosaurs looked like. This species is well-known for its spiked tail, which is reflected in its name, “armatus,” meaning “armed.”
T-Rex – One of the Last Dinosaurs to Roam the UK
The Tyrannosaurus Rex, along with ankylosaurs and other theropods (three-toed carnivores), are believed to be among the last dinosaurs to have roamed the UK, around 100 million years ago. In a remarkable discovery in 2021, paleontologists found fossilised footprints of these dinosaurs near the famous White Cliffs of Dover. These tracks, exposed by a storm, date back to the early Cretaceous period and represent the last known record of dinosaurs in Britain.
Diplodocus – The Giant Of Jurassic Britain
Part of the Sauropod family, Diplodocus and Brontosaurus were some of the largest dinosaurs to have ever lived These long-necked herbivores first appeared in the late Triassic period and reached their peak size during the Cretaceous. In England, the two most complete sauropod skeletons belong to Cetiosaurus and Cetiosauriscus and they were thought to have grown as long as two double-decker buses. Footsteps thought to have been made by Diplodocus can be seen in Keates Quarry in Worth Matravers on the Jurassic Coast.
Maybe The World’s Smallest Dinosaur – Discovered in Sussex
In 2011, a new species of bird-like dinosaur was discovered at a brickworks in Sussex. Measuring just 13 to 16 inches in length, roughly the size of a chicken) this tiny dinosaur was from the Mesozoic era, which began around 250 million years ago. Nicknamed the Ashdown Maniraptoran, this species is thought to be one of the smallest dinosaurs ever discovered.
Megalosaurus – The First Dinosaur To Be Scientifically Described
In Oxfordshire, the first dinosaur afforded scientific description, Megalosaurus bucklandii, was unearthed. Discovered in 1818 near the Oxford Museum of Natural History, this 9-metre-long theropod was named “great lizard.” Today, visitors to the museum can see a faithfully reconstructed sequence of Megalosaurus footprints on the lawn, marking an important piece of paleontological history.
England may not be the first place that comes to mind when we think of dinosaurs, but the fossil discoveries made here tell a fascinating story of life in prehistoric Britain.
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