Fossils of Portsdown

The soft white chalk of Portsdown is not particularly fossiliferous. However; specimens can be found, especially in a few locations such as the hardgrounds of Downend quarry - before it was used for landfill.

The following page is a 'scrapbook' of photographs of representative fossils. They not necessarily local - some are from Europe, and others from the US.
However; such geographical distribution of the species helps correlation, and the images are suitable.
Unfortunately, many have no indication of scale.
(Where possible, permission has been requested, and has not been refused)

Fossils that have been found include:

• Echinoids
• Ammonites
• Belemnites

Echinoids

• Echinocorys Scutata cincta
• Echinocorys Scutata turrita
• Echinocorys Scutata subconicula
• Offaster pilula

Echinocorys Scutata © Grey Olltwist Canalciencia	Echinocorys Scutata - this specimen actually came from Portsdown! © NHM Natural History Museum
Offaster pilula © NHM Natural History Museum

Ammonites

• Scaphites hippocrepis
• Glyptoxoceras
• Baculites

Scaphites hippocrepis © Keven Bridges Cretaceous Fossils	Glyptoxoceras © ???? Fossil hut
Baculites obtusus © Keith Minor Ralph Johnson's (M.A.P.S.) collection at Cretaceous Fossils
About 16cm; in reverse to the above photograph. © ???? Web source

Belemnites

• Belemnitella mucronata
• Gonioteuthis quadrata
• Gonioteuthis quadrata gracilis

Belemnitella Mucronata © ???? Rotonda Rockshop

Gonioteuthis quadrata © ???? help, i lost the source

For any comments, suggestions or contributions, please e-mail me at: portsdown@bbm.me.uk