Bedfordshire
Fossils

Places > Bedfordshire > Geography and Geology

This county does not abound in fossils either native or extraneous. It has been said that gold ore was formerly discovered a Pollux-hill, and that an attempt was made to mine there: but it is probable that this idea originated in mistake. Woodward mentions " a mass of yellow shining talc, with yellow earthly matter mixt with it," as found at this place: probably a similar substance was mistaken for gold, by persons not skilled in mineralogy.

The greater part of the extraneous fossils which occur in this county, are founding the stratum of lime-stone, which follows the course of the River Ouse. This stratum abounds with different kinds of shells, and other marine productions, which are commonly found imbedded in the yellow lime-stone. Cornua Ammonis, and other kinds of shells, are found in the stratum of stone in the Toternoe quarries, which lies above that which is used for building; and great abundance of petrified wood, together with gryphites, belemnites, &c. under the stratum of fuller's earth at Aspley. Petrified wood has also been found in other parts of the county, where the soil is sandy. The petrifying spring spoken of by Fuller and other writers does not exist.

Woodward mentions nautili, and other shells, as found in a chalk pit at Caddington; shark's teeth, ammonites, belemnites &c. in a light coloured clay near Leighton; and echini in the fields near Eaton Bray.

Extract from: Lysons' Magna Britannia being a concise topographical account of several counties of Great Britain by the Rev. Daniel Lysons, A.M., F.R.S. F.A. and L.S. Rector of Rodmarton in Gloucestershire and Samuel Lysons, Esq., F.R.S. and F.A.S. Keeper of His Majesty's Records in the Tower of London, 1806

Page last updated: 23rd January 2014