GAULT. CI 



Through the greater part of the UndercHff the shpped materials 

 assumed a position of rest before the commencement of the historic 

 period. It seems Hkely that in the belt of ground occupied by 

 the slip, the southerly dip was steeper than it is in the existing 

 cliff, and that the strata now forming this cliff will never be in a 

 position to slide so readily as those portions that have already 

 gone. Still, as the sea, in the course of centuries, removes the 

 fallen debris which forms the coast, the movements will doubtless 

 be renewed from time to time. Indeed, at Blackgang and Bon- 

 church, the wesfc and east ends respectively of the Undercliff, 

 there have been great slips within the present century. 



The following account of the East End Landslip, which took 

 place in 1810 in Bonchurcli and Luccomb, is taken from one of 

 Mr. Webster's letters, dated May 27th, 1811, and pubhshed in 

 Sir Henry Englefield's Isle of Wight (p. 131) :— 



" I was surprised at the scene of devastation, which seemed to 

 have been occasioned by some convulsion of nature. A con- 

 siderable portion of the cliff had fallen down, strewing the whole 

 of the ground between it and the sea with its ruins ; huge masses 

 of solid rock started up amidst heaps of smaller fragments, whilst 

 immense quantities of loose marl, mixed with stones, and even the 

 soil above with the wheat still growing on it, filled up the 

 spaces betAveen, and formed hills of rubbish which are scarcely 

 accessible." 



'' Nothing had resisted the force o£ the falling rocks. Trees 

 were levelled with the ground ; and many lay half buried in the 

 ruins. The streams were choked up, and pools of water were 

 formed in many places. Whatever road or path formerly existed 

 through this place had been effaced ; and with some difficulty I 

 passed over this avalanche which extended many hundred yards." 



" Proceeding eastward, the whole of the soil seemed to have 

 been moved, and was filled with chasms and bushes lying in every 

 direction .... I perceived, however, on my left hand, the 

 lofty wall of rock which belonged to the same stratum as the 

 UndercliftV 



This description of the scene is equally applicable at the present 

 day, except that the ruins are covered with, vegetation. Huge 

 pinnacles or slices of the Uj)per Greensand have moved down 

 a few feet only and remain with their upper parts resting against 

 the parent cliff, but separated from it below by a narrow cleft, 

 along which it is possible to squeeze one's way. The top of the 

 Gault is everywhere concealed by fallen rock. 



At the west end of the Undercliff, under Gore Cliff, a great 

 slip took place in 1799, and the movement has been rencAvel from 

 time to time ever since. A letter, dated Niton, February 9th, 

 1799, and published in the Isle of Wight Magazine for the same 

 year, is quoted by Mr. Norman as follows :* — " The whole o£ the 

 ground from the cliff above was seen in motion .... The 



* Geological Guide to the Isle of Wight, 8vo., Ventnor, 1887, pp. 187-189. 



