Maidstone Museum Showcases Iguanodon Fossil Discovery and Kentish Ragstone Geology

Maidstone Museum presents information about the Maidstone Iguanodon, a significant fossil discovered in the 19th century within Kentish ragstone formations. The fossil was found by quarry owner William Bensted in Maidstone and later studied by Gideon Mantell, who identified it through comparison with iguana teeth. The specimen, approximately 120 million years old, represents a land animal that likely died in marine conditions. A plaster replica is displayed at Maidstone Museum, while the original resides at the Natural History Museum. The exhibition highlights the geological history of Kent, where alternating layers of ragstone and hassock formed underwater, and explores ragstone's use as a building material in structures like the Tower of London. This presentation connects paleontology, local geology, and historical architecture.