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Home , Jurassic Coast, Ladram Bay, Lyme Regis

The Coast Timeline: a lot can change over 95 miles

1328 The famous Cobb at Lyme “Twern’t a sea – not Regis was built using only oak posts and boulders to a bit of it – twer the protect the town from waves great sea hisself rose and create a harbour. This is up level like and 10-20,000 years ago one of the earliest forms of come on right over coastal engineering works in the ridge and all, like the UK. nothing in this world” Eyewitness of the storm. Source: (Barnes and Legg, 1976) 1824

1999 2006 The Shoreline Management After reviewing the Shoreline Plan was introduced by Management Plan, central central government which set government placed more © County Museum Wreck of The Unity near during out how the UK’s coastline emphasis on working with The Cobb has been repaired and the Great Gale of 1824. should be managed over natural coastal processes. The improved several times over the original management options centuries, most recently in 2007. the next 50 years. The ‘The Great Gale’ on 23rd whole coastline was split changed to: Britain in 10,000 BC or 2010? November saw hurricane into different sections and • ‘No Active Intervention’ 125,000 years ago force winds and huge waves each allocated one of three • ‘Managed Realignment’ Sea levels were 4-5m higher At the end of the last ice age, causing untold loss of life and management options: • ’Hold The Line’ than the present day and melting ice caps caused sea catastrophic devastation of • ‘Do Nothing’ the tropical climate meant levels to rise and reform the property. The • ‘Advance The Line’ hyenas, elephants and giant British Isles as we know can expect a storm like this • ‘Managed Retreat’ and now looks at the next deer grazed the land. them today. every 200 years. • ‘Hold The Line’. 100 years.

125,000 10-20,000 Centre battered years ago years ago 1328 1824 1999 2006 by waves during a big storm, 2008.

  The future

100,000 8,000 1749 1979 2001 2009 The Jurassic Coast will continue years ago years ago to be shaped by the forces of the sea but how will local communities, the government and the natural environment 100,000 years ago 8,000 years ago 1749 1979 2001 2009 work together to find the most sustainable way of responding The first pier and sluice The 95 mile Jurassic Coast In response to the shift to coastal change? gates were constructed at was designated a UNESCO in managing the coast West Bay’s historic harbour World Heritage Site for its by working with natural which has since been rocks, landforms and . processes, the Coastal modified several times. This has internationally raised Change Pathfinder project This interference has Dorset and East ’s was launched by Defra. This dramatically changed profile. allowed 15 local authorities © Ian West the shape of the beach. to engage with coastal communities in planning to High tides and severe storms Can you spot the difference? adapt to the challenges and © Mark Simons, 2010 caused an 18 metre high opportunities arising from 1860 wave to overtop Chesil coastal change. Britain was plunged into © Alan Holiday Beach devastating the local freezing conditions with huge community. Little warning of ice sheets locking up enough Rising sea levels eroded ancient landslides around West the storm meant people were water for the sea levels to fall swept away and some had by approximately 120m. It Dorset before carrying material eastwards along the coast to be evacuated from their was possible to walk between flooded homes by boat. and France. towards Portland to form , a process that is still 1898 happening today. Jurassic Coast Pathfinder Workshops, 2010/11.

© Sam Rose. West Bay, Dorset

1930s ‘Giant wave batters homes’ Local newspaper headline, February 1979.

2009 Dragonfly