The Jurassic Coast.The Jurassic Coast.

The Dorset and East Devon The Dorset and East Devon World Heritage Coast.World Heritage Coast.

All pictures © Alan Holiday 2003

World Heritage Coast Education World Heritage Coast Education Strategy Strategy

Worbarrow Bay from Worbarrow Tout

An opportunity to study the past An opportunity to study the past and present and look into the and present and look into the

future.future.

Chesil Beach late spring sunset

Why was the site Why was the site designated?designated?• The coast has 185 million years of outstanding The coast has 185 million years of outstanding

geology more or less continuously exposed over geology more or less continuously exposed over 95 miles (135 km.) of coastline.95 miles (135 km.) of coastline.

Worbarrow Bay from Worbarrow Tout.

Map of the World Heritage coast Map of the World Heritage coast from Orcombe Rocks to the Old from Orcombe Rocks to the Old Harry Rocks.Harry Rocks.

Access points and service centres – gateway towns to the W.H.C.

World Heritage Site Bid Document

The extent of the World Heritage The extent of the World Heritage Site.Site.

• The Dorset and The Dorset and East Devon East Devon World Heritage World Heritage Site extends Site extends from Orcombe from Orcombe Rocks, east of Rocks, east of the Exe Estuary the Exe Estuary in Devon, to the in Devon, to the Old Harry Rocks, Old Harry Rocks, between between Swanage and Swanage and Studland, in Studland, in Dorset.Dorset.

Aerial photo of Orcombe Aerial photo of Orcombe Rocks.Rocks.

Aerial photograph from multimap.com

Cliffs east of Orcombe Rocks showing bedding and a fault

A World Class Coastal A World Class Coastal Section.Section.

The rocks exposed are of Mesozoic age (255 m.a. to 65 m.a.) formed at a very important time for the evolution of life on earth.

Triassic rocks at Ladram Bay, Devon.

Cretaceous Chalk at the Old Harry Rocks.

The Ballard Down coast looking The Ballard Down coast looking towards the Old Harry Rocks.towards the Old Harry Rocks.

• The The geological geological time scale time scale with with particular particular reference to reference to World World Heritage Heritage Sites.Sites.The part of geological time represented by the W.H.C. is shaded and stands out over other geologically important World Heritage sites. World Heritage Site Bid Document

The importance of the The importance of the fossils:fossils:

• Many World Class Many World Class fossil sites are fossil sites are found within the found within the Site, including Site, including those at Lyme those at Lyme Regis and Regis and Charmouth.Charmouth.

There are many possibilities for studying fossils, their evolution and importance to geologists as well as their aesthetic value.

• and Kimmeridge. (Steve Etches Collection)and Kimmeridge. (Steve Etches Collection)

Coastal Features.Coastal Features.• Many important, sometimes unique, coastal Many important, sometimes unique, coastal

features such as Lulworth Cove, Chesil Beach and features such as Lulworth Cove, Chesil Beach and the Fleet occur along this section of coastline. the Fleet occur along this section of coastline.

Ideal opportunities for field work for students of all ages…..Ideal opportunities for field work for students of all ages…..

Aerial view of Aerial view of Fleet at Fleet at AbbotsburyAbbotsbury

….also relating landscape features to maps and aerial images.

Aerial photography from Dorset, photographic atlas

Lulworth Cove & Stair Hole evidence of Lulworth Cove & Stair Hole evidence of major geological events and modern major geological events and modern

processes.processes.

Classic landforms and processes.

Aerial view of Lulworth CoveAerial view of Lulworth Cove

How does the relative hardness of the rock control the form of the Cove?

Aerial photograph from Dorset, photographic atlas

Land slips.Land slips.• There are also important examples of land slips There are also important examples of land slips

such as that at Black Ven, the largest in Europe, such as that at Black Ven, the largest in Europe, and the area between Lyme Regis and Axmouth, and the area between Lyme Regis and Axmouth, the first land slip described in technical literature.the first land slip described in technical literature.

Black Ven from Charmouth

The Undercliff area between Lyme Regis & The Undercliff area between Lyme Regis & Axmouth.Axmouth.

An ideal opportunity to study modern processes & their impact on the landscape and the local human geography.

Undercliff aerial view showing Undercliff aerial view showing proximity to Lyme Regis.proximity to Lyme Regis.

Aerial photograph from multimap.com

The development of scientific The development of scientific knowledge:knowledge:

• The area has been very The area has been very important for the important for the development of scientific development of scientific knowledge, especially in knowledge, especially in Victorian times, at a time Victorian times, at a time when geology was at the when geology was at the forefront of science. This forefront of science. This resulted from the work of resulted from the work of such people as Mary such people as Mary Anning, Henry de la Anning, Henry de la Beche and more recently Beche and more recently W.J. Arkell.W.J. Arkell.

Opportunities to study social history

World Heritage Site Bid Document

Present day role in Present day role in education.education.• The coast has an important role in The coast has an important role in

education at present with large numbers education at present with large numbers of students of all ages coming to the area of students of all ages coming to the area to study coastal landforms and geology.to study coastal landforms and geology.

Students studying the Inferior Oolite at Burton Bradstock

Out of season tourism.Out of season tourism.• Out of season Out of season

tourism is an tourism is an important important development as development as demonstrated by demonstrated by Rockwatch and Rockwatch and other events.other events.

What benefits will such out of season tourism provide for the local economy?

Study opportunities for students of all ages!

Very varied geology:Very varied geology:

• All the rocks in the area All the rocks in the area are sedimentary in are sedimentary in origin but were formed origin but were formed in very varied conditions in very varied conditions ranging from arid ranging from arid continental to tropical continental to tropical marine, to lagoonal, to marine, to lagoonal, to tropical continental and tropical continental and back to marine.back to marine.

How can we explain these changing conditions? They can be related to plate tectonic processes.

Budleigh Salterton, east Devon.Budleigh Salterton, east Devon.

• At Budleigh Salterton, the orange coloured sediments At Budleigh Salterton, the orange coloured sediments were deposited in arid and semi-arid conditions by were deposited in arid and semi-arid conditions by rivers (perhaps similar to the River Nile in northern rivers (perhaps similar to the River Nile in northern Sudan and Egypt) and as sand dunes. Sudan and Egypt) and as sand dunes.

• These sedimentary rocks now dip gently to the east These sedimentary rocks now dip gently to the east and are found at 1600 metres below east Dorset and and are found at 1600 metres below east Dorset and form one of the reservoir rocks for the Wytch Farm form one of the reservoir rocks for the Wytch Farm Oilfield.Oilfield.

There are opportunities to relate modern desert environments to ancient ones exposed in the East Devon cliffs.

How does the geology affect the development of modern resources?

Why do the rocks dip to the east, what has caused the overall pattern of rocks?

Lyme Regis.Lyme Regis.• The cliffs either The cliffs either

side of Lyme side of Lyme Regis are of Regis are of Blue Lias, the Blue Lias, the base of the base of the Jurassic, and Jurassic, and formed of inter-formed of inter-bedded bedded limestone and limestone and clay. These beds clay. These beds are often very are often very fossiliferous.fossiliferous. What can we tell from the fossil content, how do

they help us understand the past?

Seatown and Golden Cap.Seatown and Golden Cap.

• As the rocks dip to the As the rocks dip to the east, progressively east, progressively younger rocks are seen younger rocks are seen along the coast, along the coast, various Lower Jurassic various Lower Jurassic rocks are seen rocks are seen including the Belemnite including the Belemnite Marl and Belemnite Marl and Belemnite Stone at Seatown.Stone at Seatown.

Why are some rocks more fossiliferous than others?

Golden Cap:Golden Cap:• The classic Dorset The classic Dorset

feature of Golden feature of Golden Cap occurs Cap occurs because younger because younger “golden” “golden” Cretaceous Cretaceous sandstone rests on sandstone rests on older Jurassic grey older Jurassic grey clay. There is a clay. There is a time gap of time gap of around 100 million around 100 million years, known as years, known as an unconformity an unconformity by geologists.by geologists.

Why is the geological record incomplete?

West Bay, evidence of varying West Bay, evidence of varying conflicts.conflicts.

There are opportunities to study recent changes with the civil engineering project at West Bay and the importance of tourism on coastal towns.

Aerial photograph from Dorset, photographic atlas

West Bay continuedWest Bay continued

• Sometimes important Sometimes important features can be features can be covered up by further covered up by further coastal protection.coastal protection.

What are arguments for and against such developments.

Burton Bradstock.Burton Bradstock.

• At Burton Bradstock At Burton Bradstock and West Bay and West Bay distinctive sandstone distinctive sandstone cliffs occur showing cliffs occur showing honeycomb honeycomb weathering. The weathering. The sandstone dips to the sandstone dips to the east and also forms a east and also forms a reservoir rock for the reservoir rock for the Wytch Farm Oilfield.Wytch Farm Oilfield.

Opportunities to study modern weathering processes and resources.

Burton Cliff.Burton Cliff.

• Over a period of time Over a period of time the sandstone cliff the sandstone cliff weathers with harder weathers with harder beds standing out beds standing out and weaker beds and weaker beds being worn away until being worn away until cliff falls produce a cliff falls produce a fresh surface.fresh surface.

Opportunities to study rock forming processes and rock properties such as porosity and permeability as well as mass movement.

Cogden Beach.Cogden Beach.• Further east there is a change to clay cliffs Further east there is a change to clay cliffs

and the beginning of Chesil Beach is and the beginning of Chesil Beach is apparent. Pea grit forms the beach at apparent. Pea grit forms the beach at Burton Bradstock and becomes Burton Bradstock and becomes progressively coarser towards Portland.progressively coarser towards Portland.

•Compare and contrast the cliffs – what processes are involved in their formation, what are the rates of process?

• How did the beach sediment form – study of attrition and related processes.

Abbotsbury:Abbotsbury:• At Abbotsbury, Chesil Beach protects the At Abbotsbury, Chesil Beach protects the

Fleet coastline from erosion. Concern has Fleet coastline from erosion. Concern has been raised that the erosion of Chesil been raised that the erosion of Chesil Beach will lead to serious erosion problems Beach will lead to serious erosion problems in south Dorset.in south Dorset.There are opportunities to study wildlife and natural vegetation – shingle and salt marsh plant communities – how do they colonise such inhospitable habitats?

The Fleet:The Fleet:

• Along the Fleet there are Along the Fleet there are various interesting fossil various interesting fossil collecting sites including collecting sites including Herbury and Tidmoor Herbury and Tidmoor Point. At Herbury the Point. At Herbury the Boueti Bed occurs on the Boueti Bed occurs on the beach yielding fossil beach yielding fossil brachiopods. brachiopods.

How to fossils relate to modern organisms – the evolution of some groups and not others.

Examples of fossils collected at Herbury.

Portland:Portland:• Portland shows Portland shows

interesting geology interesting geology along the coast and in along the coast and in the disused quarries, the disused quarries, such as Tout Quarry. In such as Tout Quarry. In this picture Portland this picture Portland Sand and Portland Sand and Portland Stone are seen as well Stone are seen as well as evidence of land-as evidence of land-slips.slips.

Visits to quarries, different methods of stone extraction, volumes, mass, density of stone, how much removed? how much left? how long? resource implications.

Aerial photo of north west PortlandAerial photo of north west PortlandAerial photograph from Dorset, photographic atlas

An opportunity to study the conflicts between the World Heritage Coast, extractive industry and tourism