It’s not a shell I’ve seen often, but thought they were called ‘Devil’s toenails’ because that’s what they look like (as far as I know!).

It’s actually an American Slipper Limpet (Crepidula fornicata) introduced into the southern UK from North East USA  along with American oysters in 1887. The ‘real’ Devil’s toenails are Gryphaea, an extinct species of oyster from the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. Fossilised Gryphaea are commonly found in the UK, particularly around Lyme Regis.

So scarce at Camber Sands these shells were abundant at Swalecliffe, swept up the beach into great drifts.

The limpets often form chains of up to ten individuals. In a group, they look like an animal’s paw, rather diabolical in the right light!

There were two types on offer: rock oysters and the smaller natives.

Reg, our oyster shucker, told us that the rock oysters are imported from Eire, while the natives are local to Whitstable. He said the local rock oyster beds weren’t being harvested at the moment due to a dispute and speculated that the oysters must be huge by now.

Ready to eat: natives on the left, rock oysters on the right.

Our verdict was that both were lovely, but the natives had more flavour.