International Association of Geomorphologists

World Heritage status confirmed

Press release,
Friday 14 December 2001

The Case at a glance:

1. GEOLOGY: The Coast contains a near complete sequence of rocks through 185 million years of Earth history during the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods of geological time.

Golden Cap from Charmouth. Along the length of the coast the overall dip of the rocks is to the east. Therefore, the oldest rocks are found in the west with progressively younger rocks forming the cliffs to the east

2. FOSSILS: The site contains a number of outstanding fossil localities that have and continue to play an important role in the science of palaeontology

A new species of ichthyosaur discovered on the West Dorset coast in 1995. This is the richest source of Lower Jurassic fossil reptiles, fish and insects in the World

3. GEOMORPHOLOGY: The Dorset and East Devon coast contains numerous examples of 'classic' landforms

Chesil Beach in West Dorset is a world-renowned feature, famous for its size and grading of pebbles

4. HISTORY OF SCIENCE: The coast has been a crucible of Earth science investigations for three hundred years

5. ONGOING RESEARCH AND EDUCATION: From the earliest days of geology to the present day, the coast has generated an enormous volume of high quality scientific study.

6. AESTHETIC BEAUTY: The character of the nominated Site is substantially that of a natural coastline, which is almost entirely underdeveloped and fronts attractive and rural countryside.

The Dorset and East Devon Coast, located in the southern part of Great Britain, is one of the most significant earth science sites in the world. It contains a coastal exposure of a near continuous sequence of Mesozoic rocks, including a range of important fossil localities, but also displays an exceptional range of classic coastal geomorphological features. The latter include limestone cliffs, stacks, sea arches and wave-cut platforms, beaches, spits and lagoons, coastal landslides of various types, Pleistocene raised beaches and others. They all have frequently featured in geomorphological text books.

The remarkable geomorphology of the Dorset and East Devon Coast has long attracted attention of earth scientists from Great Britain and abroad. Many people have been involved in research in this area over the years, including Professor Denys Brunsden, the first President of the International Association of Geomorphologists. Prof. Brunsden wrote numerous papers on various aspects of Dorset and Devon geomorphology and has been most active in preparation of the nomination document.

The nomination, submitted to UNESCO in 2000, has been supported by the International Association of Geomorphologists. In the relevant letter of support the IAG/AIG states clearly that 'Coastal landforms along the Dorset and East Devon Coast are known to most geomorphologists of the world as classic examples of a variety of processes working at the land/sea boundary. (...) Close juxtaposition of coastal mass movements, cliffs developed in a variety of rock types, landforms of differential erosion, beaches and lagoons is probably unparalleled anywhere else in the world'. The IAG/AIG hopes the application is successful and the Dorset and East Devon Coast will shortly acquire the international recognition it undoubtedly deserves.

Durdle Door is the most famous sea arch on the Dorset Coast, located close to the coastal village of Lulworth. It is built of resistant Jurassic limestone, and the opening is (...) m wide and (...) m high.

Bays along the coast demonstrate mechanism of bay formation and lithostructural control on this process. They develop through preferential erosion of relatively weak clays and sandstones sandwiched in between the resistant Jurassic limestone outcrop on the seaward side and Cretaceous chalk beds on the landward side. This photograph shows the Man O'War Cove.

White Nothe is one of the biggest coastal landslides on the Dorset Coast. It is a multiple rotational slide and its rear scarp approaches 150 m in high.