Jurassic journey: Massive 166M-year-old dinosaur footprints discovered in UK

A remarkable discovery has been made in a quarry in Oxfordshire, unveiling the U.K.’s largest dinosaur trackway site. Around 200 giant footprints, dating back 166 million years, cover the limestone floor, providing insight into the movements of two distinct types of dinosaurs.

Journey back in time

The trackways, believed to be made by a long-necked sauropod, Cetiosaurus and the smaller, carnivorous Megalosaurus, stretch across the quarry floor. The longest trackway measures 150 meters, although the full extent of the tracks remains unknown as only part of the quarry has been excavated.

“This is one of the most impressive track sites I’ve ever seen, both in terms of scale and the size of the tracks,” said Professor Kirsty Edgar, a micropalaeontologist from the University of Birmingham. “You can step back in time and get an idea of what it would have been like, these massive creatures just roaming around, going about their own business.”

Serendipitous discovery

The footprints were first noticed by Gary Johnson, a worker at Dewars Farm Quarry. While operating a digger, he encountered unusual ridges in the ground, which he initially thought were merely abnormalities. Upon further inspection, Johnson realized the bumps were consistent, and their regularity suggested they could be dinosaur footprints.

“I thought I was the first person to see them. It was a surreal moment, really,” Johnson recalled. “It gave me a tingling sensation to think about how long these prints had been preserved.”

Expert team unveils past

This summer, over 100 scientists, students, and volunteers participated in an excavation at the site, featured in the new series of Digging for Britain. During the dig, five distinct trackways were uncovered. Four of them were identified as belonging to sauropods, herbivorous dinosaurs that walked on four legs, reaching lengths of up to 18 meters.

The fifth trackway is believed to have been created by a Megalosaurus, a carnivorous dinosaur that walked on two legs. These tracks are known for their clear, three-toed shape, offering a glimpse into the agility of these apex predators.

Uncovering prehistoric crossroads

The excavation also revealed fascinating interactions between the two species. In one area, the trackways of a sauropod and a Megalosaurus intersect, offering a unique opportunity to understand the order of events. Scientists believe the sauropod left its prints first, followed by the smaller Megalosaurus, whose three-toed tracks overlap the sauropod’s round prints.

“Knowing that one individual dinosaur left these specific prints is exhilarating,” said Dr. Duncan Murdock from Oxford University. “You can imagine it making its way through, pulling its legs out of the mud as it walked.”

Preserving past for future with dinosaur footprints

The scientists are working with Smiths Bletchington, who operate the quarry, and Natural England to ensure the site’s future preservation. Given the potential for more undiscovered footprints, the team remains hopeful that further excavation may reveal even more secrets of our prehistoric past.

“The tracks provide a snapshot of the environment the dinosaurs lived in, and they give us a whole different set of information that we can’t obtain from the bone fossil record,” explained Professor Richard Butler, a palaeobiologist from the University of Birmingham.

Glimpse into earth’s prehistoric world

This exceptional discovery not only enhances our understanding of prehistoric life but also offers a tangible connection to a time long past. As scientists continue to study the tracks, they hope that this extraordinary site will serve as a vital window into the Earth’s distant history.