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Location and directions Directions: Access is made via the A259 at East Dean, turning on to Gilberts Drive, leading to Birling Gap Road.  Parking is available at Birling Gap. A large restaurant provides refreshments. Several flights of steps lead down to the beach.		Key information Geological period Cretaceous Approximate age 85 million years Fossil diversity Echinoids, Bivalves, Sponges... Find frequency Average Dangers Risk of falling rocks Equipment Hammer, Chisel, Eye Protection... Accessibility Easily accessible / Steps to foreshore Local facilities Local facilities at beach access point Additional notes Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)
How would Seven Sisters have looked 85 million years ago?

Introduction

Seven Sisters is an excellent location for anyone to find fossils.  The site is located 14 miles East of Brighton and offers some of the best scenery along the south coast.

View West towards Seven Sisters from Birling Gap.

The best place to access Seven Sisters is at Birling Gap via the A259.  Here visitors will find plenty of car parking space, a large cafe and local pub.

Birling Gap parking and facilities.

Where to look for fossils?

Fossils are abundant in this area and include a variety of brachiopods, bivalves and echinoids.  The best place to look for fossils is within the shingle and within the chalk on the foreshore.

(Left) Seven sisters cliff face towering above the beach.  (Right) Large mussel fossil within the chalk

For more information about the features and processes controlling coastal fossil collecting locations click here.

What fossil might you find?

When looking within the shingle keep a close look out for echinoids preserved in flint.  These are the fossilised remains of sea creatures better known as Sea Urchins which are still common in the seas today.

Echinoid (Echinocorys) within the shingle 

There are variety of echinoid forms, some are tall and thin, some are round and others are heart shaped.  The heart shaped echinoids are called Micraster, the rounded-dome forms are called Echinocorys, and the pointed domes are called Conulus. These spent their life on the seafloor within the sediment.  The outer body was covered in coarse hair-like spines, used to maneuver the creature within the sediment and channel food and oxygen to the body.

Echinoids found at Seven Sisters, the example on the left was preserved in Chalk (Left and Centre - Micraster, Right - Echinocorys)

Many of the echinoids are incomplete, often visible as cross sections within flint nodules and chalk.  The two examples below illustrate this.

Echinoids are often incomplete or are visible as cross sections within flint nodules and chalk.

No tools are required to collect the fossils within the flint, however a hammer and chisel will be necessary to extract specimens from the chalk.

Filming at Seven Sisters for ITV

In 2007, we joined Des Lynam, to explain the geology, erosion and fossils present at Seven Sisters, for part of a series called

'Britain's Favourite View' on ITV1. The day included an examination of the chalk visible on the foreshore and cliffs, before we headed up to the cliff top to view the extent of erosion taking place.

Looking at the picture (bottom right), it's clear to see a large section of the cliff edge falling outwards.  It won't be long before another major collapse takes places here.  Please note, it's not recommended to approach the cliff edge; both Des and Roy were equipped with safety equipment. 

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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Picture credits: White Tipped Reef Shark by Alistair Watters at travelblog.org; Sea Snail by Jeffrey Jeffords at divegallery.com; Sea Potato from teachnet.ie; Seafloor with dozens of sea urchinf from starfish.ch. Safety notice: Fossil hunting can at times pose a risk to personal safety, in particular within environments close to the coast, cliffs or in quarries and when using the tools and equipment illustrated. Discovering Fossils provides a free resource to inform you about this fascinating subject and does not accept any liability for decisions made using this information. We recommend all individuals abide by the 'National Fossil Hunting Code' and independently research the potential dangers before and during the visit.

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Written and designed by Roy Shepherd