Mary Anning

On 21 May 2022, a statue of Mary Anning was unveiled in Lyme Regis—on what would have been her 223rd birthday. The sculpture, overlooking Black Ven where she made many of her discoveries, was the culmination of a successful “Mary Anning Rocks” campaign to honor her legacy in her hometown.

In 2012, the plesiosaur genus Anningasaura was named in honor of Mary Anning. This taxonomic recognition, bestowed nearly two centuries after her death, symbolized the lasting impact of her contributions to paleontology.

In February 1865, an anonymous profile titled “Mary Anning, The Fossil Finder” was published in Charles Dickens’s literary magazine All the Year Round. Long attributed to Dickens himself, the article recounted her life and achievements, helping to bring renewed attention to her pioneering work in paleontology.

In 1850, a stained-glass window was unveiled in St Michael’s Church, Lyme Regis, in Mary Anning’s memory. Commissioned by the vicar and members of the Geological Society, the window depicted the six corporal works of mercy and commemorated her contributions to geology, benevolence, and integrity of life.

Mary Anning died of breast cancer on 9 March 1847 in Lyme Regis at age 47. In her final years, her ability to work declined due to illness and laudanum use. In 1846, the Geological Society raised funds to assist her, and the Dorset County Museum made her an honorary member. Her burial took place on 15 March at St Michael’s Churchyard in Lyme Regis.

In 1834, Swiss palaeontologist Louis Agassiz visited Lyme Regis and collaborated with Mary Anning and Elizabeth Philpot to study fish fossils from the region. Agassiz honored Anning by naming two fossil fish species after her—Acrodus anningiae and 'Belonostomus' anningiae—recognizing her contributions to ichthyology and paleontology.

In 1828, Mary Anning uncovered the first British specimen of a pterosaur—a flying reptile—at Lyme Regis. This discovery expanded scientific knowledge of Mesozoic aerial reptiles and highlighted the diversity of fossil fauna preserved along the Jurassic Coast.

On 10 December 1823, Mary Anning discovered the first complete Plesiosaurus skeleton at Lyme Regis. This groundbreaking find introduced a previously unknown group of marine reptiles to science and spurred intense interest among geologists and the public, further cementing her reputation in early paleontology.

In 1821, William Conybeare and Henry De la Beche analysed several ichthyosaur specimens collected by Anning and others. They concluded that ichthyosaurs were previously unknown marine reptiles, identifying at least three different species based on tooth structure. Also in that year, Mary discovered a 20‑foot skeleton later named Ichthyosaurus platydon (now Temnodontosaurus platyodon), significantly advancing scientific understanding.

In November 1811, when Mary was about 12, her brother Joseph found a 4‑foot ichthyosaur skull along the cliffs at Lyme Regis. Months later, Mary discovered the rest of the skeleton—around 17 feet in length—marking the family’s first well‑known fossil find. This specimen would attract scientific attention in London and become pivotal in debates about extinction and Earth’s ancient past.

Mary Anning was born on 21 May 1799 in Lyme Regis, Dorset, England. The daughter of Richard Anning, a cabinetmaker and fossil dealer, and Mary Moore (Molly), she entered a large family marked by tragedy: only Mary and her brother Joseph survived into adulthood amid high child mortality rates. Her upbringing in Lyme Regis—where her home was dangerously close to eroding cliffs—would shape her future in fossil collecting and paleontology.