Harrow and Hillingdon Geological Society

Smokejacks 2008

Two further visits are planned to Smokejacks in Surrey. The trips are being run as part of the Kent Geologists’ Group field programme for 2008. This Weald Clay brickpit has yielded a number of important finds over the past two decades. In 1983 Bill Walker, a local collector, found a new theropod dinosaur, Baryonyx walkeri, a find which proved to be the key to the understanding and reinterpretation of the spinosaurs, and on the Geologists’ Association fieldtrip to the site in July 2001 a well-preserved partial skeleton of a juvenile Iguanodon was discovered. The Iguanodon skeleton was from the same bed as Baryonyx, and two Baryonyx teeth were also recovered from the excavation, suggesting that it may have been scavenged by Baryonyx. The skeleton was excavated by the Natural History Museum and will eventually go on display in the newly refurbished Geology Gallery at Maidstone Museum. The site is also known for the early flowering plant Bevhalstia pebja, which was first published in 1995. Since then more remains of the plant have been found, some showing cellular structure and others showing seed-like structures in association with the plant. The concretions of sideritic ironstone and fine grained calcareous sandstone have also yielded numerous insect remains (at least 13 orders) including some species new to science. Remains of dinosaur, fish, crocodile, molluscs and non-angiospermous plants can also be found. Recent finds have included an arthropod trackway, the first to be found in the Wealden, new species of scorpionfly and leafhopper, pterosaur bones and a small cone similar to the present day Sequoia. Also in 2005 a spectacular death-bed assemblage of teleost fish was found, which included the first articulated pycnodont fish to be found in the Wealden.

N.B. Parts of the pit are still flooded – please take care.

Dates: Sunday 27th April 2008
Sunday 14th September 2008

Meet: Meet at 10.30 a.m. in the car park at Smokejacks Brickworks (Wienerberger Limited – Ewhurst Works).
Smokejacks is just south of Walliswood (4 km southwest of Ockley), Surrey.
O.S. map 187 – 1:50,000 series
Grid reference TQ 116 372

Equipment:

Hard hats and reflective jackets are compulsory. Eye protection, hammer, chisels, wrapping material for specimens, handlens and boots suitable for claypit. Packed lunch. Sun protection is advisable if it is a hot day, plus sufficient drink.

Risk - (Risk Assessment)

Assessment: All attendees must familiarise themselves with the Risk Assessment for the site, circulated with these details. If you have not seen a copy please contact Peter Austen (details below). Copies will be available on site.

Cost: There will be a small charge of £2 per person to cover administration for non Kent Geologists’ Group members.

Contact: Please contact Peter Austen at least 10 days before the event with details of numbers attending.
Peter Austen on 01323 899237

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