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| Dorset and East Devon Coast | |
|---|---|
| Name | Dorset and East Devon Coast |
| Caption | Durdle Door arch near Lulworth Cove |
| Location | Dorset, East Devon, England, United Kingdom |
| Criteria | (viii) |
| Id | 1029 |
| Year | 2001 |
Dorset and East Devon Coast
The Dorset and East Devon Coast is a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the English Channel coast of Dorset and Devon in England, noted for its outstanding geological features, coastal landforms and fossil record. The coastline includes renowned localities such as West Bay, Charmouth, Lyme Regis, Bridport, Weymouth, Swanage, Lulworth Cove, Portland Bill, Beer and Seaton that together illustrate an almost continuous sequence of Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous strata. The area has been central to the work of figures like Mary Anning, William Smith and Charles Lyell, and features internationally important sites such as the Jurassic Coast's fossil beds and coastal stacks.
The property stretches about 95 miles from Orcombe Point near Exmouth to Old Harry Rocks near Swanage, encompassing natural landmarks including Durdle Door, Stair Hole, Chapman's Pool, Black Ven, Fossil Beach, Golden Cap, Kimmeridge Bay, Clavell Tower and Pinhay Bay. The inscription recognizes geological history across the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods and links to scientific institutions like the Natural History Museum, London, the British Geological Survey, University of Oxford, University of Cambridge and the University of Plymouth for research and conservation. Management involves statutory bodies such as Natural England, Historic England, Dorset Council and Devon County Council, alongside local trusts including the National Trust, the Dorset Wildlife Trust and the Jurassic Coast Trust.
The coastline displays an almost continuous Mesozoic stratigraphic succession featuring formations like the New Red Sandstone, Inferior Oolite, Blue Lias, Cornbrash Formation, Gault Clay and Chalk Group. Classic fossil localities at Charmouth and Lyme Regis have produced holotypes described by Mary Anning and later catalogued by institutions such as the Natural History Museum, London and the Geological Society of London. The area contributed to early geoscience through the mapping efforts of William Smith and the theoretical developments of Charles Lyell, informing concepts used by Charles Darwin in On the Origin of Species. Iconic vertebrate fossils include ichthyosaurs and plesiosaurs, while invertebrate assemblages feature ammonites, belemnites and bivalves that are housed in collections at Lyme Regis Museum, Bridport Museum and university repositories.
Coastal habitats include cliff-top grassland, chalk downland, intertidal flats, shingle beaches and saltmarshes that support species recorded by RSPB surveys and county records compiled by Dorset Wildlife Trust and Devon Wildlife Trust. Flora on the cliffs and downs includes specialists noted in atlases produced by the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland and monitored by the National Trust. Fauna includes breeding seabirds observed by the British Trust for Ornithology, invertebrate assemblages studied by the Field Studies Council and cetacean sightings reported to the South West Fisheries Science Centre. Important geological exposures also create microhabitats for rare lichens, bryophytes and vascular plants recorded by county botanical groups.
The property is managed through a partnership model involving UNESCO, national agencies like Natural England, local authorities such as Dorset Council and Devon County Council, nongovernmental organizations including the National Trust, the Jurassic Coast Trust and community groups in towns like Lyme Regis and Charmouth. Designations overlapping the site include SSSIs, SACs, SPAs and NNRs administered by statutory bodies. Management addresses coastal erosion, access, fossil collecting policies coordinated with museums and universities and hazard mitigation linked to Environment Agency guidance and local planning authorities.
Visitor attractions include fossil hunting at Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre, guided walks by the Jurassic Coast Trust, the South West Coast Path managed by National Trails, boat tours operating from Weymouth Harbour and Lyme Regis Harbour, rock-climbing on cliffs near St Oswald's Bay and diving at Kimmeridge Bay. Nearby cultural venues such as Lyme Regis Museum, Weymouth Museum, Red House Museum and seasonal festivals in Lyme Regis and Portland contribute to tourism. Local businesses in Bridport markets, Sidmouth accommodations and hospitality providers in Beer and Charmouth rely on sustainable visitor management plans developed with VisitEngland and regional tourism partnerships.
Human occupation and maritime history are represented by archaeological sites like Kimmeridge, historic ports such as Lyme Regis and Weymouth, military features at Portland Bill and maritime literature referencing the coast in works by John Fowles and Thomas Hardy. The coast influenced scientific pioneers including Mary Anning, William Smith and Charles Lyell, and has been a setting in paintings exhibited by institutions like the Tate Modern and the British Museum. Heritage assets managed by Historic England include scheduled monuments, listed buildings such as Clavell Tower and maritime archaeology recorded by the National Maritime Museum and local record offices.
Major access points are at Exmouth, Budleigh Salterton, Sidmouth, Beer, Seaton, Lyme Regis, Charmouth, West Bay, Weymouth and Swanage with transport links via A35 road, A3052 road and rail services to Exeter St Davids railway station, Axminster railway station, Dorchester and Weymouth railway station. Visitors are advised to consult local authorities such as Dorset Council and Devon County Council, the Environment Agency for tide and clifffall warnings, museum curators at Lyme Regis Museum for fossil etiquette and National Trust rangers for access on protected land. Accessible facilities, interpretation points, guided walks and downloadable resources are provided by the Jurassic Coast Trust, National Trust and local visitor centres.
Category:World Heritage Sites in England Category:Coastal landforms of England