# Ancient volcanic discovery in eastern England

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/ancient-volcanic-discovery-in-eastern-england
> Updated: 2026-09-19T17:00:00.000Z. Sources: 4. Developments: 2.

Geologists have identified an ancient volcanic structure located off the eastern coast of England, near The Wash and the counties of Norfolk and Lincolnshire. By analyzing zircon crystals containing uranium isotopes, researchers determined that eruptions occurred approximately 454.4 million years ago during the Ordovician period. The study indicates that volcanic ash plumes from this site traveled across the Tornquist Sea to deposit layers in Scandinavia.

Subsequent descriptions of the event by the British Geological Survey characterize it as a highly explosive ‘super-Plinian’ eruption that ejected hundreds of cubic kilometers of rock into the stratosphere. While some researchers have used the term ‘supervolcano’ to describe the scale of the historical activity, the discovery primarily provides new insights into the geological history of the North Sea region.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-19: Ancient supervolcano found in England and Assyrian crystal lens discovered

Researchers have uncovered evidence of an ancient supervolcano beneath eastern England and identified a 2,700-year-old crystal lens from ancient Nimrud that may have functioned as a magnifying tool.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ancient-supervolcano-found-in-england-and-assyrian-crystal-lens-discovered

### 2026-09-04: Ancient volcanic structure discovered off eastern England

Researchers have discovered an ancient volcanic structure off the coast of eastern England, with ash deposits proving the eruptions reached as far as Scandinavia 454 million years ago.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ancient-volcanic-structure-discovered-off-eastern-england

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Cite as: Ancient volcanic discovery in eastern England. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/ancient-volcanic-discovery-in-eastern-england