Researchers have uncovered hundreds of dinosaur footprints in anOxfordshire quarry. The fossil trackways, left by giant sauropods and the predator Megalosaurus, rank among the country’s most significant Jurassic discoveries.
The discovery was made atDewars Farm Quarry during an excavation led by researchers from the University of Oxford and the University of Birmingham. The team identified five extensive trackways preserved beneath layers of clay.
Beyond the number of footprints uncovered, the site stands out for the remarkable condition of the fossils. Around 200 footprints were exposed during a week-long excavation in June 2024, while advanced imaging techniques produced more than 20,000 photographs to preserve the site in unprecedented detail.
Five Giant Dinosaur Trackways
The excavation revealed five major trackways, with evidence that additional footprints extend into surrounding areas of the quarry. Stretching more than 150 metres, the longest uninterrupted trail gives researchers a rare chance to study how giant dinosaurs moved across a single ancient surface.
Four of the trackways were created by massive sauropods, long-necked herbivores believed to have been Cetiosaurus. These dinosaurs could reach 18 metres in length and were close relatives of Diplodocus. The remaining trackway belonged to Megalosaurus, a carnivorous theropod around 9 metres long that left large three-toed footprints with distinct claw impressions.
The Oxford University Museum of Natural History notes that one area of the quarry preserves a crossing point where the predator’s tracks intersect those of the sauropods. Researchers say the discovery raises questions about whether the animals crossed the area at similar times and how they may have used the same landscape, although the evidence does not provide definitive answers.
“This site in Oxfordshire is the largest dinosaur track site in the UK, and arguably now the largest mapped dinosaur track site in the world when we consider finds dating back to the 1990s on the same surface nearby,” said University of Birmingham Professor Kirsty Edgar.
Every Ancient Footprint Is Being Digitally Preserved
The research team documented the excavation using aerial drone photography and high-resolution imaging to create a detailed three-dimensional record of the site. More than 20,000 photographs were collected during the project.
Richard Butler, Professor of Palaeobiology at the University of Birmingham, said the site remains an important part of Britain’s Earth heritage and that researchers still have much to learn from it. He added that:
“Our 3D models will allow researchers to continue to study and make accessible this fascinating piece of our past for generations to come.”
The digital archive may help researchers investigate how the dinosaurs walked, estimate their speed and body size, and examine possible relationships between the different trackways. The level of preservation also extends to the surrounding sediment.
Dr Duncan Murdock, Earth Scientist at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, explained that the fossilized mud records how dinosaur feet pressed into and pulled away from the soft ground. Burrows, shells and plant fossils found alongside the tracks help reconstruct the muddy lagoon environment through which the animals travelled.
A Discovery That Changed the Site
The excavation began after quarry worker Gary Johnson noticed unusual bumps while stripping back clay to expose the quarry floor. Researchers from the University of Oxford and the University of Birmingham worked with Dewars Farm, Duns Tew Quarry manager Mark Stanway, and his staff during the week-long project.
More than 100 people took part in the excavation, carefully exposing roughly 200 footprints while specialist equipment, including excavators and rock saws, supported the work.
Reflecting on the discovery, Dr Emma Nicholls, Vertebrate Palaeontologist at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, said that although Megalosaurus has been studied longer than any other dinosaur, discoveries such as these show that new evidence continues to emerge.
