Belemnite Information

Dorset’s Jurassic Coast—most notably around Lyme Regis and Charmouth—is renowned for its abundance of belemnite fossils. These bullet-shaped remains of ancient squid-like creatures are often uncovered in shingle and mudstone, especially after winter storms. While major discoveries are typically made by seasoned experts, casual beachcombers frequently stumble upon belemnites and ammonites along the shores of Charmouth and Lyme Regis. 

What are Belemnites?  

Belemnites were ocean animals that lived a very long time ago. They were cousins of today’s squid and cuttlefish. Imagine a squid, but instead of being soft inside, it had a hard “bullet‑shaped” skeleton hidden in its body. These creatures swam in the seas during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods — that’s a stretch of about 135 million years!