A new species of dinosaur discovered at wienerberger’s Ewhurst brick and roof tile works in Surrey has been named in honour of former site manager Will Proudlove, more than 25 years after the fossils were excavated.

Named Paludohadros proudlovii, the herbivorous dinosaur lived around 125 million years ago during the Early Cretaceous period. At the time, southern England would have been covered in muddy wetlands. This environment helped to give the dinosaur its name, as ‘palus’ means ‘swamp’ in Latin.

Its remains were excavated in 2001 and have since been studied by scientists at the Natural History Museum, who identified it as a previously unknown genus and species.

The full name honours Will, who died aged 35 shortly before the excavation. His family has welcomed the announcement, describing it as an honour that will ensure his name and legacy live on.

The discovery adds to Ewhurst’s significant palaeontological history. The site was also where the remains of Baryonyx walkeri, a well-known predatory dinosaur, were discovered in 1983. The two dinosaurs lived in the same area around 125 million years ago, with the fossils of Paludohadros found just 100 metres from those of Baryonyx.

The findings, published in the Journal of Systematic Palaeontology, highlight how wienerberger’s Ewhurst works has contributed to our understanding of prehistoric life, with its clay deposits continuing to provide valuable material for scientific research.