You've seen the footprint now meet the BEAST 

In the 1840s quarrymen working in Lymm made  a remarkable discovery that played  an important part in developing scientists' understanding of these creatures from  pre-history. 

Our new exhibit tells the fascinating story of the hand beast and how the visible geology of Lymm still offers amazing insights into our turbulent past.

It’s hard to think of Lymm as a desert, with sand dunes, salt lakes, and arid sea coasts. It’s also hard to imagine it as an icy wasteland where glaciers once flowed. Yet these dramatic changes in climate all happened here and the evidence is still to be found in what we see in the landscape around us.  

In both cases the climate was a pretty hostile one but there was some life in the desert, where the Hand Beast stalked its prey.  This early reptile left its footprints in the rocks at Lymm and put us on the map when they were first discovered in the 1840s. 

This new exhibition brings you face to face with the Hand Beast – named Chirotherium by the natural philosophers of the time.  It’s not shy and will be happy to pose for a photo with you!

 

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