Maylandsea Fossil Hunting Guide

Maylandsea is a good fossil hunting location for lobster fragments, found in small yellow nodules. It’s a small site with tiny cliffs, where you can also find shark teeth and fish remains.

Location and Directions

Maylandsea can be found at the foreshore on the East bank of Lawling Creek, north of Maylandsea, River Blackwater, Essex.

To get there, head towards Mayland in Essex. At the West of the village, follow road as it veers left. Drive down the first road on the right (North Drive), and park at the bottom. The footpath leads along the River Blackwater banks. Walk right (eastward) following the embankment edge until clay is visible on the foreshore, past the small shaded area under the trees.

What Fossils You’ll Find

The most commonly found fossils at Maylandsea are lobsters, crabs, shark teeth, fish remains, bivalves, seeds, sea urchin spines from the Eocene (Ypresian, ~50 Ma) period. The image below shows a small lobster fossil found at the site.

Geologic History

The site exposes the London Clay Formation and London Clay.

The site preserves fossils from the Eocene (~55-52 Ma) period. London Clay was deposited during the Eocene in the area’s warm, shallow subtropical marine shelf. The ancient environment supported a diverse marine life: sharks, rays, fish, crustaceans (particularly lobsters and crabs) lived here as well as the occasional terrestrial animals and vegetation carried by river estuaries. Phosphate nodules containing lobster remains formed in oxygen-poor bottom conditions. The area’s fine grits and shingles are also highly rich in microfossils.

The Eocene period (56-34 Ma) was characterized by warm global temperatures in the area. Essex experienced subtropical to tropical climate with warm seas at the time, with lush coastal vegetation including palm trees, mangroves, and magnolias. The climate during this period was characterized by hot and humid conditions with no polar ice caps. Sea surface temperatures were significantly higher than today.

Site History

Maylandsea is recognized as one of the most productive Essex locations for lobster fossil fragments. Hoploparia is the most common lobster species fossilized here. The site is part of the Blackwater Estuary SSSI. The fossils here are collectible by wet-washing grit and shingle.

Sources

• UK Fossils Network https://ukfossils.co.uk/2012/01/23/maylandsea/
• Essex Wildlife Trust https://www.essexwt.org.uk/
• GeoEssex http://www.geoessex.org.uk/
• accessed December 9, 2025