Highlights at the Lapworth Museum
With over the 300,000 objects in the collections, the Museum celebrates its 8 highlights!
Calymene blumenbachii — An exceptionally well-preserved ‘Dudley Bug’ or ‘Dudley Locust’, a 428-million-year-old fossil trilobite from the Much Wenlock Limestone Formation of Dudley. It dates back to a time when much of the area was covered by warm, shallow, tropical sea with small reefs containing a rich and diverse ecosystem. It was discovered in the 1830s and described as the finest example ever found.
Milne-Shaw seismograph — Black Country born John Shaw (1873–1948) became interested in the study of earthquakes and began designing seismographs. His prototype was constructed from anything he could get his hands on, from tin cans to old bicycle parts, and then it was precision made in the Midlands. He converted the cellar and greenhouse of his home into a mini production line, from which the machines were distributed worldwide. This is Shaw’s own instrument, which he used in the seismic recording station at his home in West Bromwich. Shaw became a well-known authority, providing early reports of distant earthquakes and broadcasting a series of talks on seismology for the BBC.
Coseley arachnid — Eophrynus prestvicii, known as the Coseley Spider, is an extremely well-preserved, 300-million-year-old, spider-like arachnid that was discovered in a Carboniferous ironstone nodule near Dudley in the Black Country. Although it looks like modern-day spiders, it was unable to spin a web, instead chasing and catching its prey with its powerful jaws.
Lapworth cross-section — This beautiful cross-section illustrates the geological structure of Dob's Linn in the Southern Uplands of Scotland. It shows the rock units and the zones of graptolite fossils identified by Charles Lapworth, which allowed him to unravel the complex geological history of the region. The section was drawn by Lapworth as a large teaching aid at Mason College, the forerunner of the University of Birmingham. During lectures, it was hung, along with others, on a rope and pulley system operated by Lapworth, appearing at the front of the lecture room when required - the PowerPoint slides of the 1880s.
Calcite and galena coated with quartz — This exquisite mineral specimen comprises pink, rhombic calcite and lead-grey galena, both encrusted with fine quartz crystals. It is one of the largest and finest examples from the former lead mines of South Shropshire. While the lead ores were exploited by the Romans, it was during the 18th and 19th centuries that the mines became some of the most productive lead mines in Europe. The specimen is from the collection of Robert Jasper More (1836–1903) a Shropshire-based landowner and MP.
Neonate ichthyosaur — This is an extremely small (70cm) and very young, example of Ichthyosaurus communis, a 199-million-year-old marine reptile. It is a newborn, or neonate, just a few weeks old, and is exceptionally well-preserved, with the fossilised remains of its last meal in its stomach. It was previously thought that younger ichthyosaurs solely ate fish, but this specimen revealed the remains were that of prehistoric squid-like animals called belemnites.
D-Day beach map(s) — During the Second World War, British military geologists assisted in planning the Allied liberation of Normandy by producing specialist maps to support the greatest amphibious operation in history. Maps of the landing beaches, at a scale of 1:5000, indicated natural hazards that would be unsuitable for assault vehicle mobility. These maps were produced in very small numbers, under the greatest of secrecy, and few copies remain. The most complete collection is preserved within the Archive of Professor Fred Shotton at the Lapworth Museum. Major Shotton, who served as Staff Officer (Geology) for the invasion force, was responsible for most of the geological research conducted in advance of the landings and to produce these Top-Secret maps that cover the entire Anglo-Canadian, D-Day landing beaches.
D-Day beach map(s) — During the Second World War, British military geologists assisted in planning the Allied liberation of Normandy by producing specialist maps to support the greatest amphibious operation in history. Maps of the landing beaches, at a scale of 1:5000, indicated natural hazards that would be unsuitable for assault vehicle mobility. These maps were produced in very small numbers, under the greatest of secrecy, and few copies remain. The most complete collection is preserved within the Archive of Professor Fred Shotton at the Lapworth Museum. Major Shotton, who served as Staff Officer (Geology) for the invasion force, was responsible for most of the geological research conducted in advance of the landings and to produce these Top-Secret maps that cover the entire Anglo-Canadian, D-Day landing beaches.
Alveley trackway — A series of approximately 200 sandstone slabs from a quarry in Alveley, Shropshire covered in numerous footprints and complete trackways provides a snapshot of a brief period 310 million years ago. This trace fossil assemblage, which contains no body fossils, reveals a diverse fauna of amphibians and reptiles, including both herbivorous and carnivorous forms, as well as small tracks made by crustaceans. It is one of the richest trackway records from this geological period in the world and provides evidence of one of the earliest tetrapod communities in the UK.