Conserving and mounting a large 300 million year old fossilised giant clubmoss plant from north Wales for display

Abstract

In 2004 a large and exceptionally well preserved 300 million year old fossilised giant clubmoss plant was discovered in a newly exposed fossil forest site near Wrexham, north Wales. The location, a former steelworks that had operated for over 100 years, was being redeveloped as a heritage site and was subsequently designated as a SSSI so there was a desire to put the specimen on display locally. Cleaning, conserving and mounting the fossil for exhibition required specific bespoke solutions as the specimen was in 90 pieces, weighed almost a ton and stood 2.25 m tall with a root span of 3.5 m. Also, as the specimen was to be displayed in various locations and would have to be dismantled and transported, a modular mount able to be easily assembled and dissembled was required. This was made in sections from welded steel with lockable heavy duty wheels.