Horn Park Quarry fossils and fossil collecting
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 This location is now surrounded by security fence to protec tthe fossils, due to the irresponsible collecting. In additiion, Horn Park is strictly prohibited without permission from Natural England and it is also on privately owned land and so access in general is restricted
Horn Park Quarry can be found between Broadwindsor and Beaminster along the B3163.
If travelling from Beaminster, about a mile after you leave the town, you will see Horn Park Farm on the right. Not far after this, you will see the old quarry which is labelled as Horn Park Quarry, Business Park.
GRID REF: 50.81487°N, 2.77241°W
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Horn Park Quarry was one of the best locations for Inferior Oolite. Today, you can view the once, productive beds as a small outcrop, but collecting is not permitted. Large ammonites were very common in excellent condition. |
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No Collecting
Fossils from Horn Park were very common, and ammonites in buckets load. However, this is now a business park with a small outcrop, and a few ammonites can be seen in this once productive bed. Access now banned unless permission is given from Natural England.
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Not for Children
Horn Park Quarry is a busy business park and is not suitable for children. It is also not suitable for anyone who only wants to find fossils, but worth a visit for anyone interested in seeing the geology or historic site. |
Access
only granted from Natural England
This location is now surrounded by security fence to protec tthe fossils, due to the irresponsible collecting. In additiion, Horn Park is strictly prohibited without permission from Natural England and it is also on privately owned land and so access in general is restricted |
Quarry Outcrop
Fossils are found in the old outcrops on the sides of the quarry. |
SSSI, NNR
Permission to Visit
No Collecting
Due to the irresponsible collecting the site is now surrounded by a security fence to protect it. Fossil collecting at Horn Park is strictly prohibited without permission from Natural England and it is also on privately owned land and so access in general is restricted |
Horn Park Quarry is now a business park, and a lot of heavy vehicles use it. Please insure you are not in the way. You must not collect from this site, it was once famous for ammonites, but now it is an SSSI with a small ourcrop of the once, highly fossiliferous Inferior Oolite. |
Accommodation
Higher Spence
Farm Cottage, beautiful location 3 miles Charmouth. Double and Family rooms En Suite.
£20-£22.00 per night per adult. Under 12, Half Price.
Contact: Christine Nutkins
Tel: UK (01297) 560556
Tel: International +441297 560556 Address: Higher Spence, Wootton, Fitzpaine, Charmouth, Dorset.
Email: higherspence@eurolink.ltd.net Website: (Typing "Higher Spence into your search engine)
Dorset coastal cottages
We are a holiday agent for 120 carefully selected and inspected cottages within 10 miles of Dorset's spectacular World Heritage Coast and Path. All are old, many are beamy and thatched, most have open fires or logburners plus central heating. Rents include electricity, gas etc. and all linen/towels.
Rentable by the week or 3 day Short Break all year round!!
Please call: 0800 9804070 for a Brochure or visit our website on www.dorsetcoastalcottages.com
Jennifer Owens Direct:
01305 851033 jen.o@dorsetcoastalcottages.com
If you would like to advertise on this page, please 'contact us'.
£10/Year or 'FREE' for return links from accommodation website pages. |
| Last updated: |
2010 |
| last visited: |
2003 |
| Written by: |
Alister and Alison Cruickshanks |
 
Other Locations similar to Horn Park
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At Horn Park Quarry, ammonites are the most common find. Complete beds are crammed packed with them. Some of the ammonites are very large and the vast majority of all ammonites here are common.
In fact, when Horn Park Quarry was working the limestone, ammonites from here were so plentiful that they became low value. Even today, ammonites from Horn Park are worth very little in value, as there are so many out in the market.
Today, only a small outcrop exists and a few ammonites are in situ. Most have been taken through irresponsible collecting, sadly resulting in this site now been fenced off with large security gates.
There are plans currently being made to showcase this special site in the future, for everyone to enjoy, but at present, only access by permission with Natural England is allowed.
Large ammonite seen at Horn Park
Superb ammonite seen at Horn Park
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Horn Park Quarry was a world famous fossil site, yielding hundreds of large superb ammonites when it was open. A university conducted a site study after a new owner wanted to purchase the site, and confirmed that there was many more years worth of 'Limestone', that could be obtained. The owner purchased the quarry and a couple of years later, they hit the Bridport Sands, which is actually a classification of Limestone. A court case between the owner and the university ended without success since the university was asked to confirm how much limestone was below and not what type of limestone.
Since the owner lost a great deal of money, he sold it into the business park it has become today, still an SSSI, some small outcrops can be seen with ammonites in...[more]
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Stone Tumblers |
Microscopes |
Geological Tools |
If you are interested in fossil collecting, then you may also be interested in a stone tumbler (Lapidary). You can polish stones and rocks from the beach which
will look fantastic polished using a stone tumbler.
You can polish rough rock and beach glass whilst collecting fossils, on those days where you come back empty handed.
These are all high quality machines to give a professional finish to your samples. They can even be used for amber and fossils. |
At most locations, you can find microfossils. You only need a small sample of the sand. You then need to wash it in water and sieve using a test sieve. Once the sand is processed, you can then view the contents using a microscope.
We have a wide range of microscopes for sale, you will need a Stereomicroscope for viewing microfossils. The best one we sell is the IMXZ, but a basic microscope will be fine. Once you have found microfossils, you will need to store these microfossils.
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UKGE, market leaders in Geological Supplies and Geology Equipment. We supply retail, education, wholesale and trade in the UK, Europe and beyond.
With our wide range of geological hammers and geological picks as well as fossil tools, starter packs and geological chisels.
UKGE is your geological superstore, selling a wide range of field equipment, rocks, minerals, fossils, geological and even microscopy! |
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