Hidden in Stone: Unearthing 200 Million Years of Prehistoric Life Along the South Coast
Posted: 11/04/2025
Exhibition Dates: Friday 4 April – Sunday 1 June
Venue: God’s House Tower, Southampton
Venue Open Days: Thursday to Sunday and Bank Holiday Mondays
Admission: Free
‘a space’ arts is proud to present Hidden in Stone, a new exhibition in collaboration with The Gostling Evolution and Palaeobiology Lab at the University of Southampton, Karen Fawcett Studios, Winchester School of Art, and the Department of Archaeology. Hosted at God’s House Tower in Southampton, this exhibition uncovers 200 million years of Earth’s history along Britain’s South Coast through fossils, art, and research.
Beneath the South Coast’s bustling towns and natural landscapes from Dorset to Sussex lies an almost unbroken sequence of rocks revealing this vast history. Hidden in Stone explores shifting continents, evolving species, and changing climates.
The exhibition unfolds in a series of sections, delving into Jurassic oceans, Chalk seas, Cretaceous dinosaurs, Tropical Hampshire and the ice age, with several ‘stops’ along the way. Discover the rich heritage of fossils beneath your feet as you wander across the South Coast, from Lyme Regis in Dorset to Hastings in Sussex.
Led by Doctor Neil Gostling, the exhibition aims to spark curiosity in science and the natural world – and to inspire the next generation of scientists.
“Dinosaurs are often the gateway that children have into Science, and it is vital for the world that we have good scientists. Sadly, Southampton, Portsmouth, Hampshire more widely, the Isle of Wight and Dorset have some of the lowest educational outcomes in the country! We want to change this by enthusing people with a love of science from an early age and providing families, with members of all ages, with opportunities to talk about some of the most exciting animals that have ever existed.” – Neil Gostling.
Join our Associated Exhibition Events:
- Flint Knapping Demonstration with Will Attard – Saturday 12 April, 10:30am – 12:30am
- Discover the World of Mary Anning with Author Emma Bayley – Thursday 17 April, 2pm and 3pm
- Dinosaurs of the South with Neil Gostling – Thursday 17 April, 6pm – 8pm
- Hidden In Stone: Exhibition Tour with Neil Gostling – Friday 25 April. 6pm – 8pm
- Exploring Early Human Life in Britain with Professor William Davies- Thursday 1 May, 6pm – 8pm
- Reconstructing the Lives of Dinosaurs with Darren Naish – Thursday 15 May, 6pm – 8pm
Click here to get involved with our Associated Events
Project Extinction
Alongside fossils and life-sized models of dinosaur skulls and jawbones, you’ll also encounter a newly-commissioned, collaborative artwork, Project Extinction, made by BA Fine Art students at Winchester School of Art, University of Southampton (UoS).
Project Extinction is a large-scale flat pack sculpture in the shape of a ceratosuchops dinosaur. Hidden in the the body of the beast are smaller artworks, individual contributions from the students involved.
Find out more about Project Extinction here
Partners and Collaborators
Hidden in Stone is a collaboration between scientists and artists, museums and galleries, to bring you our latest understanding of the evolution of the South Coast of England, through changing climates with a cast of prehistoric creatures and the arrival of humankind. The research was carried out by researchers in the University of Southampton’s Gostling Evolution and Palaeobiology Lab, in Biological Sciences, and the Department of Archaeology.
The Gostling Evolution and Palaeobiology Lab works on a multitude of questions from the origin of mammals and the evolution of birds and flight, to marine reptiles in Mesozoic seas and describing the dinosaurs that roamed the land above. Working in partnership with Rebecca Ferreira, and other members of the Department of Archaeology we cover 200 million years of geologic time. This is all brought, vividly, to life by a wonderful team of sculptors and artists from the Winchester School of Art and Karen Fawcett Studios.
This exhibition is brought to you by ‘a space’ arts, The Gostling Evolution and Palaeobiology Lab (UoS), the Department of Archaeology (UoS), Karen Fawcett Studios and Winchester School of Art (UoS) in partnership with Dinosaur Isle, Friends of Dinosaur Isle, The Etches Collection, The Hastings Museum and Gallery.
About ‘a space’ arts
Founded in 2000, ‘a space’ arts supports emerging and established artists through a range of development initiatives, including The Arches Studios, Tower House Studios, and God’s House Tower. Their programmes create opportunities for artists and audiences alike, fostering a thriving creative community in Southampton.
For more information, please contact:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 07824326005
Website: https://godshousetower.org.uk/
Photo: Luke Shears
Photo: Luke Shears
Photo: Luke Shears
Photo: Luke Shears
Photo: Luke Shears
Photo: Luke Shears