RATE OF EROSION OF THE SEA-COASTS OF ENGLAND AND WALES. 423 
: a 3. Axmouth to Eype. 
By Horace B. WoopwArb, F.G.S., Geological Survey of England, 
28 Jermyn Street, s.w. 
i. Devonshire and Dorsetshire. Axmouth to Eype, west of Bridport. 
2. The eastern cliffs, of which the highest point is Golden Gap (620 feet), are com- 
posed of Lias Clay and shale, capped by sand. Between Charmouth and 
Pinney the base of the cliffs is stone with clay above ; the summit here is 
Black Ven (450 feet), where there is again a capping of sand. Between 
Pinney and Axmouth the sea-cliffs, of Red Marl, range up to about 60 feet ; 
they are backed by high cliffs and underclifts. 
3. Axmouth to Charmouth, N.E. and S.W.; about E. 22° N. Charmouth to Eype, 
N.W. and 8.E.; about W. 15° S. 
_ &. South-west. 
5. Lyme Regis—severe storm in 1824, after strong westerly winds; then gale arose 
from §.8.E. ; wind veering to S. and §.W., drove the heaped-up waters directly 
on coast. Seatown,very changeable beach. Shingle mostly heaped up in fine 
weather ; more sand after a north wind; a south wind pulls back the shingle. 
South-west wind, heaviest sea. South-east wind, highest tides. Lyme Regis, 
west of Cobb—south-west wind fills up beach; south wind draws off beach. 
6. Flood tide from west, up Channel. Various local currents. Tide runs a good 
a deal stronger up stream than down. 
7. (1) 25 feet (maximum); 12 feet (Charmouth); 14 feet (Lyme). (2) 25 to 30 
; yards (Seatown) ; 300 yards (Charmouth), platforms of rock. 
&. At high tide, sea dashes up against cliffs, east and west of Lyme Regis. Mostly 
? fine shingle and sand, with patches of coarser shingle. East of Charmouth, a 
good deal of sand for a short distance, then all shingle to Golden Cap. 
Ledges of rock at low tide just west of Golden Cap. Black Ven, sand and 
ledges of stone and clay. Lyme Regis to Axmouth, here and there bays with 
shingle, otherwise tumbled material—large blocks of Lias and Greensand- 
chert, Chalk, &c., ledges of rock ; nearer Axmouth, shingle with patches of sand 
at low tide, on platform of Red Marl. 
9. a. and b. Beach of shingle, about 30 yards wide, at Seatown, above ordinary 
high-tide mark. Beach of shingle, about 22 yards wide, west of Golden Cap, 
> above ordinary high-tide mark. e. Generally from east to west, being heaped 
a up on west sides of slips. Some twenty or thirty years ago, after a great land- 
d slip at Golden Cap, the travelling of shingle was stopped for some time, and 
“ the sea dashed up against the Lias cliffs to the east, where usually there is a 
: shingle beach that protects them. d. Seatown, mixed shingle, 2 to 5 or 
3 6 inches, intermingled with fine shingle ; 8 x 4 inches, many 3 x 1} inches and 
a less ; chiefly flint and chert, some quartzites ; a few slabs or flat pebbles of Lias; 
: hardly ever any fine sand at Seatown. West of Golden Cap, 6 x 4 inches, 
a many 23 x 2inches, &c.; shingle rather smaller towards Charmouth—westnrard. 
7 e. Highest ridge at Seatown about 30 feet above low tide; lower ridge, 10 or 
¥ 12 yards distant, 25 feet above low tide; spring tides do not usually come 
: above this. West of Golden Cap, November 1884, highest ridge about 23 feet 
ii above low tide, extends 10 yards from cliff; second ridge about 15 feet above 
a low tide, 12 yards from higher ridge, and about 30 yards from foreshore. East 
of Seatown the beach is almost entirely shingle as far as Down Cliff; it is 
_ 20 feet high in places. 
10. erates or diminishes according to wind and tides. 
i. oO. 
22. A few in Lyme itself, to protect buildings inside bay formed by Cobb. e. Stone. 
_____ £. To check the force of the breakers. 
23. a. Stone taken from cliffs and ledges, east and west of Lyme. b. Lime, and 
chiefly for cement. About 10,000 tons sent to Hull for docks in one year. 
Amount varies according to demand. e. Yes. d. Yes; especially at base of 
Church Cliffs, east of Lyme. The church itself is now in considerable danger, 
the churchyard being at edge of cliffs. Shingle carted away at times from 
beach at Seatown for road-metal, but not from Charmouth. 
