Fossilised trees on Druridge Bay?

[rancid badger]

My mate Brian and I took a drive up to Cresswell, Northumberland today, to get some sand walking training in, for a trip later in the year. The walking was "as required", some soft some hard and we both felt the "benefit" by the time we'd done about 9 miles

Anyway, I like to get up to Druridge at least a few times every year, either with friends or family or sometimes on my own, so I'm pretty familiar with the beach and the general area but today I saw something I've never seen before:


There are two areas, both of which appear to have been exposed by the winter storms.





This area is a gully some two and a half, to three feet deep, a couple of hundred yards long.






The condition of the wood is frankly amazing, you can see the grain very clearly on most of the stumps, as well as the fallen trunks


There is also what looks like peat, possibly the original forest floor, with twigs, nut shells, plant fibres and bits of leaves etc. It's not coal and the wood is still wood, as opposed to stone, so I'm guessing that these tree's were growing after the last ice age but were inundated when the sea level rose and formed the North Sea.

The "peat" surface has several areas that look like potential foot prints. They are not modern either, as the surface does not take a footprint when you stand on it.

I suppose they'll just rot away or be washed out now they're exposed, assuming of course that the "local" beach morons, don't burn them first

I'm going to contact Newcastle University with the photo's, to see if they're interested.

 

[Paddytray]

that is amazing . is the wood hard or brittle I wonder if it could be used some how i.e knife scales etc. ?

 

[rancid badger]

The wood is, well, like wood! its obviously soaked but it seems in very good condition.

I'd guess that now its exposed to the air it will deteriorate fairly quickly ( much like the "Mary Rose" would without the fancy sprays etc) but I'm in the process of contacting the local university archaeology department, as well as the local natural history society, to see if these artifacts have been reported already and whether they are considered important. They are certainly important to me, giving a direct link back to the period that most interests me in local prehistory.

If there is no official interest or action, then these stunning things will be lost forever, as I say; either to the elements or vandals.

 

[Harvestman]

That's a great find. So interesting. I'd love to see something like that.

Mind you, if you want a fossilised tree, try this:

Click on the image and you will see the fossil bits highlighted. That's carboniferous limestone, so a few hundred million years old.

 

[bushwacker bob]

Link aint working Mike. Click on it and it stays as is.

 

[Harvestman]

Ah well, try here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/69558099@N08/12841693504/in/photolist-kyM35G

 

[Goatboy]

Nice posts Badger and Mike. I love stuff like this. Often used to pick up and use fossilised remains when I lived in Crail. Used to place them in good spots in drystane dykes I built.


Cheers for posting.

 

[HillBill]

There was an ancient forest uncovered in Cardigan bay recently too. It was the bad storms that uncovered it. I expect the same has happened up your way.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ch-washed-away-reveal-ancient-oaks-pines.html

 

[HillBill]

There was an ancient forest uncovered in Cardigan bay recently too. It was the bad storms that uncovered it. I expect the same has happened up your way.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ch-washed-away-reveal-ancient-oaks-pines.html

I find it curious that 5000 year old trees look like they have been felled with a crosscut saw. Well, some of them do anyway.

 

[British Red]

I find it curious that 5000 year old trees look like they have been felled with a crosscut saw. Well, some of them do anyway.

You make a good point - this looks for all the world like it was felled by a saw

 

[rancid badger]

I find it curious that 5000 year old trees look like they have been felled with a crosscut saw. Well, some of them do anyway.

I'd put my wages on at least that one in the main picture having been sawn off, maybe the last time the stumps were exposed. Mind you, the Egyptians apparently had bronze saws as early as 3100bc so you never know

It certainly hasn't ended up like that naturally anyway

Steve

 

[HillBill]

It makes sense that when the sea moved in to claim that stretch of forest, the inhabitants would have claimed the wood. But if that stump was felled by man, then how can they get a cut like that using stone tools? Quick look online shows the bronze age started in places around 3000BC, which is 5000 years ago. Perhaps we were making bronze tools here then? Perhaps we had developed a means for felling trees other than axes?

You make a good point - this looks for all the world like it was felled by a saw

 

[HillBill]

It is a possibility that it could have been cut at a later date..

I'd put my wages on at least that one in the main picture having been sawn off, maybe the last time the stumps were exposed. Mind you, the Egyptians apparently had bronze saws as early as 3100bc so you never know

It certainly hasn't ended up like that naturally anyway

Steve

 

[British Red]

It is a possibility that it could have been cut at a later date..

Indeed - I think RB has found a likely scenario there

 

[HillBill]

Probably.

Looking at the other stumps though, it looks like many of them have been felled with axes, as you can still see the hinge where the tree fell. At least thats what it looks like to me.

Indeed - I think RB has found a likely scenario there