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Jurassic Coast
Beer - A story of stone Part 1
Location: Beer
Rock type: Chalk
Age: Cretaceous 70 Million years old
Look out for: Beer Quarry Caves.
Geology in detail
At Beer there is a sudden appearance of Cretaceous chalk rocks along a part of the coast dominated by red Triassic rocks. This is to do with the structure of the rock layers in this area. Between Branscombe to the west and Seaton to the east there is a geological structure known as a syncline. Here, the layers have been gently deformed downwards to create a kind of saucer shape. The coast slices straight through the syncline and Beer is right in the middle. To the east of Beer there is also a fault. This means that instead of the layers of chalk gradually rising upwards again out of the syncline they are cut off by a large fracture with red Triassic rocks immediately on the other side. A good place to see this is at Seaton Hole.
The chalk itself formed in a tropical sea towards the end of the Cretaceous period about 70 million years ago. It is type of limestone made up almost entirely of microscopic skeletons of plankton.
Beer Quarry Caves
There is a particular layer in the chalk around Beer that in places has been quarried to use as building stone. It is very high quality white limestone that can be easily carved into complex shapes. A good place to see it in use is at Exeter Cathedral where many of the statues and carvings are made from Beer stone.
Beer Quarry Caves are open to the public and have a long history stretching back to Roman times when the stone first started being extracted.
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Orcombe Point - The beginning of the story
The western end of the World Heritage Site and the oldest rocks on the Jurassic Coast. Striking Red sandstones and mudstones can be seen in the cliff and the ‘geoneedle' on top of Orcombe point marks the start of the ‘walk through time'.
Budleigh Pebble Beds - Mountains and rivers
An incredible river deposit of pebbles from
across the channel and sandstones with ancient plant roots.
Ladram Bay - Sea stacks and the E.Devon AONB
Ladram Bay is a picturesque beach characterised by several
high sea stacks. It is one of the highlights of the East Devon Area of
Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)
Sidmouth - Desert dweller in the Otter Sandstone
Sidmouth is a traditional British seaside town bounded
within a wedge of red sandstone.
Beer - A story of stone Part 1
Beer is a picturesque fishing village and a source for
the famous Beer Stone.
Lyme Regis - World famous fossil site
Lyme Regis is famous worldwide for the abundant and
well preserved fossils that are found there eroded from the local cliffs.
Charmouth - World famous fossil site
Charmouth is famous worldwide for the abundant and
well preserved fossils that are found there eroded from the local cliffs.
Golden Cap - The highest view on the south coast
Golden Cap is the highest point on the south
coast and gives a fantastic viewpoint of this western part of the World
Heritage Site.
Chesil Beach - Finest barrier beach in Europe
Chesil Bank is one of the finest examples of a barrier
beach in Europe. Its formation is a direct
result of impact of the Ice ages on the geology and coastal processes of West Dorset.
Osmington Mills - Traces of life
Fantastic trace fossils can be seen on the beach at
Osmington Mills. Some of the best along the whole of the Jurassic Coast.
Durdle Door - The natural arch
Durdle Door, a huge natural rock arc, is an internationally
famous landmark and one of the most characteristic and spectacular features
along the Jurassic
Coast.
Lulworth Cove & Crumple - a geography pilgrimage
Lulworth Cove is a quintessential location for
the study of different rates of erosion in the formation of bays and headlands.
It is also a beautiful and popular tourist destination.
Old Harry Rocks - The end of the story
This is the eastern end of the Jurassic Coast
and where the youngest rocks on the world Heritage Site are exposed. Brilliant
white chalk has been eroded into steep cliffs and the famous collection of sea
stacks known as ‘Old Harry Rocks'.
Copyright 2011 Jurassic Coast
Copyright 2011 Jurassic Coast