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English geologist and palaeontologist (1784–1856)

For other people named William Buckland, see William Buckland (disambiguation).

William BucklandDD, FRS (12 March 1784 – 14 August 1856) was an English theologian who became Dean of Westminster.

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He was also a geologist and palaeontologist.

Buckland wrote the first full account of a fossildinosaur, which he named Megalosaurus. His work proved that Kirkdale Cave in North Yorkshire had been a prehistoric hyena den, for which he was awarded the Copley Medal.

It was praised as an example of how scientific analysis could reconstruct events in the distant past. He pioneered the use of fossilised faeces in reconstructing ecosystems, coining the term coprolites.

Dr robert pacland biography of william

Buckland followed the Gap Theory in interpreting the biblical account of Genesis as two widely separated episodes of creation. It had emerged as a way to reconcile the scriptural account with discoveries in geology suggesting the earth was very old.

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