Huge Dinosaur Trackway in Oxfordshire: A 220‑Metre Sauropod Trail at Dewars Farm Quarry
A continuous Middle Jurassic footprint line (~166 million years) has been mapped at Dewars Farm, with large sauropod prints (likely Cetiosaurus) and rarer three‑toed marks from Megalosaurus.
At Dewars Farm Quarry, a sauropod trackway of about 220 m has been recorded. The prints are Middle Jurassic (~166 million years). Earlier surfaces at the same quarry were documented in 2024. For background, see our explainers on Britain’s large trackway site and 200 footprints in the UK.
Trackway Explorer: stride, speed, and distance
Adjust the sliders to update the step count and time. Toggle the bumps to mirror the small ridges at the front of many impressions.
Where is Dewars Farm Quarry?
Map centred near Ardley (≈ 51.93°N, −1.22°W). Quarry operations are active; public access is restricted.
“These footprints are insanely big,” said Emma Nicholls (Oxford University Museum of Natural History). “They’re the massive footprints of a sauropod dinosaur; probably Cetiosaurus.”
“We’re uncovering something that people have never seen before,” said Kirsty Edgar (University of Birmingham).
Peter Falkingham (Liverpool John Moores University) noted a walking speed of about 2 m/s — “about the same speed as a human would walk quickly.”
The surface includes smaller three‑toed prints attributed to Megalosaurus. Many impressions carry a small ridge at the front, indicating travel direction. The prints formed in soft mud, hardened under sun, and were rapidly covered by new sediment, a short preservation window sometimes called a “Goldilocks” effect. See related reads on early birds (Jurassic avifauna) and evolutionary pathways (Cambrian interactions, tyrannosaur cranial mechanics, Triassic reptile trek).
Footprint ID — Quick Quiz
Which option best describes a Megalosaurus track?
