A significant discovery of dinosaur footprints at Dewars Farm Quarry near Ardley, Oxfordshire, has been identified as one of the largest fossil track sites of its kind. The footprint trail, dating back approximately 166 million years to the Middle Jurassic period, extends nearly 500 feet along a limestone section of the quarry.

The site was discovered four years ago by excavator operator Gary Johnson while clearing clay at the quarry. Johnson initially noticed repeated raised patches in the ground, which upon closer examination formed a continuous trackway of impressions. “I thought it was just an abnormality,” he explained, “but then it kept repeating every few meters.”

The extensive footprint site features around 200 individual prints and offers new insights into the behavior and movement of several Jurassic dinosaur species. Among those believed to have left the tracks are the long-necked herbivore Cetiosaurus and the carnivorous Megalosaurus, both native to the region during that era.

Professor Kirsty Edgar, a micropalaeontologist at the University of Birmingham, described the find as “one of the most impressive track sites” she has encountered in terms of scale. She noted the site’s ability to provide a vivid glimpse into the prehistoric world, illustrating how these giant creatures once roamed the landscape.

Researchers attribute the exceptional preservation of the footprints to a significant meteorological event at the time, which created conditions conducive to fossilization. The combination of the weather event and the sedimentary environment at the quarry allowed these trackways to endure over millions of years, making them a valuable resource for understanding Jurassic ecosystems and dinosaur behavior.

Ongoing studies seek to further analyze the footprints and the surrounding geology to deepen knowledge of Middle Jurassic fauna and their environments across what is now Oxfordshire.