This disused quarry contains good sections of the chalky boulder clay seen at Pakefield and Corton. The rain washes fossils out of the beds, and you can find ammonites, belemnites and (if lucky) reptile remains on the surface of the exposures.
DIRECTIONS
♦ From the A12, head towards Lowestoft. At Kessingland, continue along the duel carriageway until you reach the next roundabout.
♦ From there, take the first left towards Gisleham. Continue along this road and it will veer south. Keep going until you come to some houses and a sharp bend. There is a trackway ahead, but the road veers round to the west
♦ This is a private quarry and access is not permitted by the general public.
♦ Ref: 52.43413°N, 1.71186°E
PROFILE INFO
FIND FREQUENCY: ♦♦♦ – You can find some good fossils at Gisleham Quarry, but it is best to visit after heavy rain as fossils are washed out of the clay. Ammonites and belemnites are the most common finds, but most are fragmentary.
CHILDREN: ♦♦ – All quarries tend to be unsuitable for children, either used or disused, as there are too many dangers. In addition, vehicles still use this quarry for dumping building waste, so this location is not recommended for children.
ACCESS: ♦ – Gisleham Quarry is easy to find, but access is not permitted by the general public.
TYPE: – Fossils are found in the slopes of the old disused quarry, which have been washed out by the rain.
FOSSIL HUNTING
The chalky boulder clay contains a wide variety of different rocks brought here during the Ice Age. Jurassic and Cretaceous rocks contain ammonites, belemnites, brachiopods, bivalves and sometimes reptile remains.
The most common finds are belemnites and ammonites. The rain washes these out of the clay and you can find them on the bottom of the slopes in this disused quarry. All you need is a good eye and a little patience.
GEOLOGY
As with the site at Corton, Gisleham Quarry displays what has been unofficially termed the ‘Lower Chalky Boulder Clay’, which consists of Jurassic rocks carried within the ice sheet and deposited here during the Ice Age.
SAFETY
Although disused, Gisleham Quarry is now a dumping site for building waste. Although the area with boulder clay is away from the area now being used for this purpose, you have to walk through an area where large moving vehicles are present.
EQUIPMENT
The best fossils are collected on the surface, which have been washed from the clay. A knife is handy to remove these, but you don’t need any other tools. Remember to take something to put your fossils in.
ACCESS RIGHTS
This is a private quarry used as a dumping ground for building waste. It is closed to the public and can only be accessed by prior permission from the owners.
It is important to follow our ‘Code of Conduct’ when collecting fossils or visiting any site. Please also read our ‘Terms and Conditions‘
LINKS
♦ Buy Fossils, Crystals, Tools
♦ Location Discussions
♦ Deposits Magazine
♦ Join Fossil Hunts
♦ UK Fossils Network