Did you know that some of the world’s most important dinosaur finds have been discovered in Oxfordshire? This includes two of the first dinosaurs to be scientifically named – the famous Megalosaurus and the first sauropod, Cetiosaurus. Now, as recently as last year, another exciting discovery has been made in Oxfordshire.
One of the most significant dinosaur trackways in the UK was discovered in Oxfordshire at Dewars Farm Quarry by quarry worker Gary Johnson in June 2024. Since then, hundreds of students, volunteers, and palaeontologists from Oxford University have been working at the site to record and study these tracks, using drone footage and taking thousands of photographs.
There are five distinct trackways made up of over 200 dinosaur footprints. It is believed that four of the tracks were made by Cetiosaurus, with each track considered to have been made by a different individual of varying ages. The fifth trackway was made by Megalosaurus – the largest land carnivore in Jurassic Britain – which had distinctive three-toed footprints.
What makes this discovery particularly exciting is that it captures a moment in time when these animals were alive, and their paths literally crossed at one point. Palaeontologists hope to gain more insights about how these animals lived, including how they walked.
Watch the below video as scientists from Oxford University talk you through the discovery.
