Latchmoor Brook fossils and fossil collecting

Latchmoor Brook is found South of Bradsham Telegraph, within Studley Wood and East of Fordingbridge. From Fordingbridge, take the B3078. At the junction of the B3078 and B3080 turn right and almost immediately you will find a car park at Bradshaw Telegraph.
Or, from the M27, take the B3079 at Junction 1. At Brook, take the B3078, and follow until you get to the Bradshaw Telegraph car park. If you reach the B3079 turnoff, you have gone too far.
Once at the car park, follow the footpath to the South West (opposite to the road), and follow down until the path veers towards the East.
You will see a hill in the distance; the stream is before this in the area of low-open land. The stream here makes the land quite boggy. When you get to the boggy land, follow the Stream to the Right. The stretch from the path all the way to the woods is the best area.

GRID REF: SU 22775 16044

Microfossils (Fish, Shark, Ostracod), Bivalves, brachiopods, gastropods

Latchmoor Brook is one of the only places where you can collect fossils from the New Forest. They are the uppermost Bracklesham Group sediments and the lowermost Barton Clay. The stream and banks are very shallow which makes collecting here far easier than other stream based locations. Gastropods, bivalves and fish remains are common here.

High

Latchmoor Brook is full of various fossils. However, most tend to be small. Although larger fossils such as large fish vertebrae’s can be found, most of the fossils are likely to be small fish remains, small shark teeth and microfossils. You can also find hard clay nodules full of fossil shells.

Suitable for Children

This location is suitable for children to visit, since the brook is wide, shallow and has degraded sides. This makes it an ideal place to explore.

Fair Access

Latchmoor Brook is fairly easy to find, and about ½ mile from the Bradshaw Telegraph car park. If you follow the path it will eventually lead to the soft, and often boggy land. Make sure you take Wellington boots. The brook is wide, shallow and has degraded sides. It is best to visit during the drier months.

Brook

This location is a stream based location. The Bracklesham and Barton Clay can be seen within the brook floor, but are all mixed together as mud, mixed shell pockets and the odd hard nodules. It is very hard to separate the different beds here.

No Digging

This site in the New Forest is managed by the forestry commission. Please contact the Forestry Commission for permission to take samples from this site.

MESSAGE FROM Jane Aubrey, Forestry Permission. "It is against the forestry commission by-laws that DIGGING IS NOT PERMITTED AND MUST NOT BE UNDERTAKEN.

This is a fairly safe area to visit although you should be careful of any very boggy ground especially during winter.

Last updated:	2011
last visited:	2011
Written by:	Alister and Alison Cruickshanks

Locations similar to Latchmoor Brook

For similar locations, you could try Barton-on-Sea, Brownwich Cliff, or Taddiford Gap in Hampshire. Bracklesham Bay in Sussex, or Herne Bay in Kent. At Whitecliff Bay on the Isle of Wight, the Barton Beds are also exposed.

The Brook is very muddy and you will certainly need wellington boots. A trowel is also very handy or knife, and sample bags should be taken to take samples back home. Please note you will need permission from the forestry permission.


Latchmoor Brook is a wonderful location to visit within the New Forest, and is most suited to those interested in microfossils, although larger fossil fish remains and shark teeth can also be found here. What makes this site much easier to collect from, is that the Brook here is wide, shallow and without any steep sides. You can walk along the base of the Brook during the drier months of the year. The sides and much of the base is overgrown, but there are many areas of clay and shell pockets which have been disturbed by the horses. The best area to collect is from the base of the Brook, this is because decalcification during weathering has occurred above. These shells are crumbly and friable and it is not easy to obtain unbroken specimens. The best shells can be collected from a greater depth. When taking samples, you will find pockets of compacted shells amongst the clay, these are the most richest beds of Bracklesham age and contain the best fossils such as fish remains. These appear as cream or white shelly material. Look out for hard concretions or nodules that are packed with fossil shells. STRICTLY NO DIGGING. Bracklesham (Lutetian) and Barton Beds (Bartonian age)

	Bartonian, 37mya
The Brook cuts through Bracklesham (Lutetian) and Barton Beds (Bartonian age). It is hard to separate distinctive beds as most of these have been mixed up within the Brook. ...[more]


Small fish vertebrae from Latchmoor Brook (more}

Metal Polishing

Field Loupes

Microscopy

Metal Barrelling Machines are used for deburring, polishing, cleaning or removing surface scratches from metal and jewellery.

These are ideal for cleaning or polishing a variety of metals including brass, silver, steel and gold. They can be used for silver clay and other hobbies.

The machines have a barrel with special fins inside, which helps turn the metal round, to polish or debur. We sell a variety of different sized machines from hobby to commercial.

Field loupes are an essential part of your field equipment for any fossil hunting trips. We sell a wide range of Field Loupes, including our own brand name and the Ruper range. Field Lenses will enable you to view small fossils in detail.

At Berwick-Upon-Tweed, Field Lenses can be used to look at the detailed coral structure. A hand lense is a very handy piece of equipment to carry around with you!

For our full range, see our website.

At most locations, you can find microfossils. You only need a small sample of the sand. You then need to wash it in water and sieve using a test sieve. Once the sand is processed, you can then view the contents using a microscope.

We have a wide range of microscopes for sale, you will need a Stereomicroscope for viewing microfossils. The best one we sell is the IMXZ, but a basic microscope will be fine. Once you have found microfossils, you will need to store these microfossils.