Abstract The marine sediments of the Lower Cretaceous are well represented across England from Yorkshire, through Lincolnshire, Norfolk, across the country to Devon, Dorset, the Isle of Wight and around the Weald in SE England (Fig. 1 ). All but the lower part of the Ryazanian is represented, and much is developed in lithologies that are suitable for the preservation and extraction of Ostracoda. The most significant section is that found in Filey Bay, North Yorkshire where the Speeton Clay Formation crops out and provides access to most of the Lower Cretaceous. However, this is a difficult section to work owing to much landslipping and local faulting; in addition, some horizons, particularly those with high iron content, prove to be barren. The numerous publications of Neale and Kaye (see later) show, however, that good ostracod assemblages may be won from this section. Equivalent levels are found in Lincolnshire where the Tealby Clay, Skegness Clay and Sutterby Marl formations have all proved ostracod faunas. After the Early Aptian transgression, marine conditions were established in southern England, which resulted in the deposition of the Atherfield Clay Formation, but much of the overlying Lower Greensand is clastic in nature and does not preserve ostracods well; the latest Aptian and Early Albian are poorly served for recovery of ostracods. The Middle and Upper Albian Gault Clay Formation in the south provides exquisite preservation of the finest details in most specimens, and although the section at Copt Point, Folkestone, Kent suffers from some slipping it