Seven Sisters fossils and fossil collecting

This guide concentrates on the main Seven Sisters section, accessed via the Seven Sisters Country Park.
From the A259, park at the Seven Sisters Country Park. This is a large car park, split into the main and overspill car parks. If parking in the overspill car park (also where the information centre and toilets are found), take extra care crossing the road as it can be dangerous with fast traffic.
It is a long walk through the park. (1 mile). Thankfully, it is an easy walk without any hills to climb, however, this is also a VERY popular tourist location and can be very busy. It is often hard to park.
Follow the path through to the beach (which is signposted), once on the beach, walk left along the cliffs.

GRID REF: TV 52056 99489

Echinoids, Sponges, Molluscs, Fish remains

World famous site for its highly Fossilferious Chalk, packed with a wide range of different Echinoid species, Brachiopods, Bivalves and Crinoids. This is one of the best chalk locations in the UK for zonal variety. Recommended to all keen Chalk fossil hunters.

Often high

Although the chalk is highly Fossilferious Chalk, the foreshore tends to be fairly green and the cliff falls in areas too dangerous to collect from such as overhanging cliffs. The very tall cliffs mean that you should never collect from below the cliff face. Seven Sisters is one of the best chalk locations in the UK and should be recommended to all keen Chalk fossil hunters, but be aware that poor beach conditions may mean you come away with nothing.

Supervised Children

Seven Sisters is suitable for families, but not recommended for small children. Please keep away from the base of the cliff at all times.

Poor Access

It is a long walk down to the cliffs at Seven Sisters, although you simply follow the long path through the park. The long walk can make access to this location difficult for some, but you can hire bicycles from the visitor centre! Although long, the walk is on flat land thankfully!

Cliffs and Foreshore

Fossils at Seven Sisters are mostly found simply lying on the foreshore, but they are also be found in the cliff face and scree slopes.

No Restrictions

There are no restrictions at this location, but please follow our own code of conduct for all locations.

Seven Sisters
Tide Times

UK Tidal data is owned by Crown Copyright, and therefore sadly we are not allowed to display tide times without paying expensive annual contracts. However we sell them via our store, including FREE POSTAGE
Click here to buy a tide table

Common sense when collecting at all locations should be taken and knowledge of tide times should always be noted. Two dangers are apparent along the Seven Sisters coastline, the first is the tidal conditions which need to be taken note of, and good time allowed to return. The other important note is the danger of falling debris and cliff falls from the high cliffs. Stay away from the foot of the cliff and if you are knocking fossils or hitting rocks, do so well away from the cliff as hammer vibrations can cause debris to fall. Hard hats should be worn. Be careful of slipping on seaweed on some of the rocks on the foreshore.

Last updated:	2012
last visited:	2012
Written by:	Alister and Alison Cruickshanks

Other Locations similar to Seven Sisters

In Sussex and Kent, there are many excellent locations for collecting chalk fossils. Newhaven, Seaford, Eastbourne, Seven Sisters, Peacehaven and Beachy Head, Dumpton, Kingsgate, Samphire Hoe, Pegwell Bay, Dover and St Margarets Bay.

You can also find middle chalk at Hookend Cliff, and Pinhay Bay in Devon, and at Hunstanton in Norfolk.

Most fossils at Seven Sisters can be found on the foreshore or the base of the cliff from the fallen rocks or loose fossils an scree slopes. You will require a chisel pick or geological hammer.


This is a classic location for chalk collectors; however, one doesn’t always come away with plenty of fossils. This location is very unpredictable. Sometimes, the foreshore can be covered in algae and at times, with few fresh rock falls, making collecting poor. The tall cliffs can make things even harder as collecting from these fresh falls very dangerous, especially if overhanding. Having said this, Severn Sisters is still highly recommended for collectors to visit, and with a cleaner foreshore, or large cliff falls can yield the best chalk fossils including many different echinoid species. And even if it doesn’t, the long, lovely walk through the park still makes it work while visiting. Fossils are mostly found on the scree slopes, cliff falls and from the boulders on the foreshore. Sometimes fossils can be found loose just waiting to be picked up. Most people visit the first section of the cliff, so walk further (tide permitting), to increase your chances of finding fossils!. Small chalk cliff fall at Seven Sisters.

	Cretaceous, 85mya
At Seven Sisters, the chalk is of Santonian age. It is the Margate Chalk Member. This member is Marl-free smooth white chalk with little flint and is weakly developed with iron-stained sponge beds....[more]


Coprolite containing fish remains...[more] The most common fossils at Seven Sisters are echinoid's. There are many different species. They are in four main groups. Micrasters, which are the heart shaped variety, Conulus which are the small round type, Echinocorys which are the large oval type and regular echinoid's which are similar to modern day regular sea urchins. There are two main types of Micraster here, Micraster coranguinum and Micraster cortestudinarium. Other species such as Micraster turonensis can also be found. This location is also rich in bivalves and brachiopods. Sponges can also be found here. You never know what you may find since this site is rich in fossils. Flint Micraster...[more]

Related Books

Microscopes

Test Sieves for Microfossils

Fossils of the Chalk

A fantastic book covering the chalk of the UK. This book covers most of the fossils that can be found in the chalk. It is a fully illustrated guide. This is the second edition of this popular book and is available from our own UK Fosils/UKGE Store.

All of our books have FREE UK Delivery, We have hundreds of geological books for sale.

At Seven Sisters, you can find Microfossils from the chalk. They are much easier to collect because they are so small that you only need a small amount of chalk sample. You then need to break it down in water and view using a microscope to view these.

Chalk is actually composed of fossil shells, so you only need a small amount of sample on your microscope.

We have a wide range of microscopes for sale, you will need a Stereo microscope for viewing 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 chalk fossils should be 300 microns, and 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.