The Common Seal of Lyme Regis

The picture on the left shows a reversed photograph of the Borough of Lyme Regis seal matrix, which is on display in the Museum (on loan from Lyme Regis Town Council). The design of the seal is believed to date from the 13th century, when King Edward I granted the town its Royal Charter – although this particular matrix is likely to be of more recent manufacture.

The seal shows a mediaeval-style ship bearing the cross of Saint George on its masthead, together with a scene of the Crucifixion on the left. On the right, St Michael the Archangel (to whom Lyme Regis parish church is dedicated) is seen trampling on a dragon. The Latin inscription reads SIGILLUM COMVNE DE LIM, meaning "Common Seal of Lyme".

The Common Seal of Lyme is featured in a new series on the History of Lyme Regis in Museum Objects on the Museum website, produced by the Museum's research team. If you follow the link, you will find a number of in-depth PDF documents you can download, including one on this subject written by Thea Hawksworth.

The Beast in the Cellar

Geologists Ben Brooks and Phil Davidson have carried out an extensive analysis of a very large Ichthyosaur, codenamed E42, which is stored in the cellar of Lyme Regis Museum. The specimen is approximately 4.2 metres in length, and is broken into 18 separate blocks. It is believed to be a member of the genus Temnodontosaurus, which flourished in the early Jurassic period, between 198 and 185 million years ago.

This fantastic fossil is one of the largest to be discovered on the Jurassic Coast, England’s only Natural World Heritage Site, and is one of the hidden treasures of Lyme Regis Museum. But it won't be hidden much longer – Ben and Phil have made a digital reconstruction of the fossil (an overview of which is seen above), and this will soon be put online on the Museum's website. Director David Tucker said “we’re very grateful to Ben and Phil for the work they have done on this amazing fossil. We would love to be able to display the fossil in our museum, but unfortunately it is too big for our geology gallery. Putting these images on our website is the best way that we can make the ichthyosaur accessible to a wider audience.”

Lyme Regis is the home of the science of palaeontology and the museum is built on the footprint of the house of Mary Anning, the first and greatest of all fossil collectors. The museum is in the early stages of a project to extend its premises. “We are the key fossil site in Britain” added David “and we want to make sure that this unique town has the museum it deserves as the key fossil-hunting site in Britain”.

The photograph on the left shows the Museum basement where the 18 blocks containing the massive ichthyosaur specimen are stored.

Replica of an Iron Age mirror

The replica mirror shown here is one of the objects on display in Lyme Regis Museum. It is an accurate copy of the original, now in the British Museum in London, which was discovered in 1971 during excavation of the Iron Age and Roman site at Higher Holcombe Farm in Uplyme. As described in a previous blog post, the mirror dates from the period immediately prior to the Roman invasion, and was a very fashionable item in Southern Britain at that time.

The mirror is featured in a new series on the History of Lyme Regis in Museum Objects on the Museum website, produced by the Museum's research team. If you follow the link, you will find a number of in-depth PDF documents you can download, including one about the "Replica of Bronze Mirror from Uplyme", written by Max Hebditch.

A Neolithic Polished Stone Axe

The polished greenstone axe pictured on the left was found at Stonebarrow Down in the 1960s, in an area being eroded by the sea. It was made some time in the Neolithic period between 4,000 and 2,000 BC. It would have been used to cut down trees to make clearings for agriculture – the beginning of the felling of woodland and the impact of mankind on the environment. It was given to Lyme Regis Museum by John Fowles, and is on display in the Ancient History Cabinet on the Ground Floor of the Museum.

The axe-head is featured in a new series on the History of Lyme Regis in Museum Objects on the Museum website, produced by the Museum's research team. If you follow the link, you will find a number of in-depth PDF documents you can download, including one on the subject of the Neolithic Polished Stone Axe, written by Felicity Hebditch.

An Ichthyosaur named Kevin

The ichthyosaur specimen known as “Kevin” (left) is one of the most dramatic objects on display in Lyme Regis Museum. It is probably a member of the species Temnodontosaurus platyodon, first named by the Rev. William Conybeare, a Rector of Axminster in the 19th century. This particular specimen was found by workmen below Lyme’s main beach during Phase II of the sea defence works in 2005. It is named in remembrance of one of the workers who was killed the evening before it was found. The specimen is not complete, but the remains are those of a massive ichthyosaur, originally some 18ft 4in (5.6 metres) long. It is mounted on a board along one wall of the geology gallery. An impression of the outline of the body of the reptile is painted on the board. It was given by West Dorset District Council, which generously helped with the cost of equipment, excavation, preparation and mounting.

Kevin the Ichthyosaur is featured in a new series on the History of Lyme Regis in Museum Objects on the Museum website, produced by the Museum's  research team. If you follow the link, you will find a number of in-depth PDF documents you can download, including one on the subject of The Black Ven Ichthyosaur and the Ichthyosaur known as “Kevin”, written by Paddy Howe with photographs by Chris Andrew and Richard Bull.

Museum Events in January

Family Fun Day 

Wednesday 2 January 11am to 3pm
Bring your old Christmas wrapping paper to the Museum and Alison Bowskill will show you how to make a decorative fish mobile. Free Admission.

Fossil Walks

Friday 11th January 9am
Saturday 12th January 9.45am
Sunday 13th January 10.45am
Tuesday 15th January 12 noon
Friday 25th January 9am
Saturday 26th January 9.15am
Sunday 27th January 9.45am
Monday 28th January 10.15am
Tuesday 29th January 11am
Wednesday 30th January 11.30am
Thursday 31st January 12 noon

Mary Anning Walks

Saturday 5th January 1.30pm
Saturday 12th January 1.30pm
Saturday 19th January 1.30pm
Saturday 26th January 1.30pm

For more information, contact walks@lymeregismuseum.co.uk