World’s oldest fossilised trees discovered along Devon and Somerset coast

The fossilised stump of a Calamophyton tree, discovered in the high sandstone cliffs along the Devon and Somerset coast. Part of the oldest known fossil forest on Earth, it is roughly four million years older than the previous record holder, which was found in New York state. Photograph: Neil Davies

The world’s oldest fossilised trees, dating back 390m years, have been found in the high sandstone cliffs along the Devon and Somerset coast.

The fossilised trees are the oldest ever found, roughly 4m years older than the previous record holder, which was found in New York state.