Sheringham fossils and fossil collecting

Sheringham is a very popular town in Norfolk, especially well known for its steam train which attracts many each year.
Although a small town, the location can be hard to find because if you head through the town and follow the main road, you will end up at the wrong side, and will have to go back to the main town.
You need the Esplanade, which is to the West of the town. Here, there is plenty of space to park and you can easily access the shore to the life boat station. There are two main roads that lead into Sherlingham, the easiest is the one to the West.

GRID REF: 52.93760°N, 1.27383°E

Corals, Echinoids, Shark remains

Near the life boat station, the foreshore exposures chalk during scouring conditions. Corals and shark remains have been found at this location although scouring only happens a few times a year. If you do visit during favorable conditions, you should find some nice specimens.

Low

The problem with Sheringham is it doesnt scour very often. Once the chalk is well exposed, then there is lots to be found. Sometimes, the chalk also is covered in algae making collecting difficult.

Suitable for Children

This location is suitable for children. They must keep away from the cliffs and also from the Life Boat Station. The foreshore is quite safe for collecting but if the chalk is exposed, can be slippery.

Good Access

Once you find the right parking area to the west of the town, parking is easy, and access is quick. You dont have to walk far before you reach the life boat station.

Foreshore, Cliffs

Fossils are found in the foreshore chalk exposures. Sheringham has cliffs, but these are glacial and you wont find fossils in these.

No Restrictions

There are no restrictions at this site, but please follow our code of conduct and safety guidelines which can be found below. Our code of conduct encourages sensible collecting.

Common sense when collecting at all locations should be taken and knowledge of tide times should always be noted. At Sheringham, the sea can sometime reach the base of the cliff, and you can become cut off. The foreshore can also be slippery and rocky. Please keep clear of the life boat station.

Last updated:	2009
last visited:	2008
Written by:	Alister and Alison Cruickshanks

The chalk at Sheringham is very soft and all you need is a small knife or trowel. You can also take a pick, but you will certainly need paper to wrap your finds.


The chalk at Sheringham, yields corals, echinoid's, brachiopods and oysters. Shark remains have been found including the odd tooth, vertebrae and also a spine, although these are not common. Sheringham is perhaps more well known and extensively documented for its famous 'Fish Bed', which is full of fish remains, fish vertebrae and teeth. This bed can be found near to the life boat station, the area where most of the best specimens from Sheringham are found. The best exposures are near the life boat station, just to the west. The chalk here is quite soft and easy to remove fossils. This location does depend on scouring, so it is not always productive. This is why we have given it a low rating, it only scours a few times a year. Coral from Sheringham

Cretaceous, 80mya

The cliffs themselves at Sheringham are glacial, and during the summer months, this is all you will see. The cliffs vary in height and are silts and sands. Exposed on the foreshore, especially near the lifeboat station is the chalk. This is often on view during scouring conditions during the spring and autumn months, but can also be on view during the winter. The chalk is the Beeston Chalk. ...[more]

Nearby West Runton and Overstrand, are both good locations nearby where chalk is exposed on the foreshore, or at Weybourne where chalk fossils can be found in the cliff face. Hunstanton is another good location for chalk fossils.

Geological Tools

Microscopes

Test Sieves for Microfossils

We sell a wide range of geological tools from our online store. These include hammers, chisels, and pick.

We also sell starter packs with everything you need to start fossil collecting.

Our online store includes books and publications on fossils and geology, and a range of geological maps on the East Mersea area.

We have over 10,000 items for sale, covering almost every aspect of geology and fossils.

At East Mersea, you can find small mammals and fresh water shells from pleistocene deposits. We recommend wet sieving on site, then taking the samples back home to examine with a microscope. This enables you to take more sample home which will have a higher concentration of fossils.

We have a wide range of microscopes for sale, you will need a Stereo microscope 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.

Test Sieves are used when searching for microfossils. We recommend that you use a test sieve with water at different levels. Test sieves for pleistocene deposits at East Mersea should be 500 microns.

Our UKGE Store sells Endecotts Test Sieves, which are the highest in accuracy and extremely durable and long lasting. These Test Sieves are fantastic for microfossils. Endecotts Test Sieves come in a variety of sizes, frame material and types, they are fully certificated to EU Standards.

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