- RATE OF EROSION OF THE SEA-COASTS OF ENGLAND AND WALES. 425 
14. Clifis, on the whole, are destroyed chiefly by slips, and the sea clears aways the 
débris. More especially just east and west of Lyme Regis—the lower Lias 
limestones, aided largely by the artificial removal of stone. Thorncombe 
Beacon : base of cliffs protected by large tumbled blocks of stone ; hence aslight 
headland is formed. Thorncombe Beacon was formerly much higher, accord- 
ing to men living in the district. Golden Cap protected by huge blocks of 
stone which have fallen from cliffs, also by ledges; hence it forms a slight 
point or headland. Golden Cap, in the opinion of fishermen, has been lowered 
30 or 40 feet during the past 30 or 40 years. The lowering of Golden Cap has 
been caused partly by reason of the hill-slope inclining inwards, and perhaps 
partly by streams carrying away sandy material at the junction of Greensand 
and Lias. West of Charmouth, a field of 5 acres about 150 years ago, now 
lg acres. East of Charmouth, man aged about 75 (died about 10 years ago) 
knew when ‘they went out milking where the beach now is.’ Field reduced 
from 10 acres to 4 acres; not gone much since. This field was evidently based 
on portions of an old slip, as, when removed, portions of old trees and shrubs 
were laid bare again. Oak-wood out of river-bed, ebonised and black as ink, 
sold for turning at the time. Seatown: road and four or five houses have gone 
on west side of river during last twenty years, owing to slips. One cottage 
gone by coast just east of river at Seatown, and man named Foss, innkeeper, 
wt. 84, says he dug portions of piles out of river, but the oldest inhabitant he 
remembers never heard of there being a harbour there, although the piles 
seemed to prove that such had been the case. Limekiln and road at Stone- 
barrow (about 50 yards) put back twice, and gone in last 60 years, and field of 
11 acres (60 years ago) now 4 acres. The sea formerly (i.¢., 50 or 60 years 
ago) used to wash up against the cliffs of Stonebarrow; now it only reaches 
them at extraordinary tides. Hence cliffs are not worn away so fast as 
formerly, If the cliffs were drained, there might be fewer slips, and hence 
the land would be protected. Lyme Regis, Church Cliffs: Lower Lias clay 
on limestone lost 90 feet in 30 years (1803-1833) (G. Roberts), partly by 
gradual mouldering and crumbling, without any great ‘slide’ or landslip, and 
partly owing to the removal of stone from base of cliffs and shore; even the 
very ledges of the shore were stripped off, and this is the case now (H. B. W.). 
Roberts mentions that ‘Table Rock’ and the ‘Horse Pond’ are no more— 
ledges and hollows familiar to him in the early part of this century. He 
estimated the loss of the cliffs at 3 feet per annum in the soft strata, and 1 foot 
per annum in the harder rocks. There is still a soft ledge called Table Ledge 
under Black Ven (H. B. W.). Black Ven is subject to great slips. Roberts 
Says (1834) three fields have gone during the past 100 years; 90 years pre- 
viously there was a lane from Lyme Regis to Charmouth, which has almost 
entirely disappeared. West of Lyme Regis, extensive landslips—Whitlands, 
a 1765 and 1840; Bindon (or Bendon) and Dowlands, Christmas 1839. 
: 0. 
7. No. 
18 Roberts, G.: ‘The History and Antiquities of Lyme Regis and Charmouth.’ 
Hd. 1, 1824; ed. 2, 1834. 
29. I was informed by fishermen at Charmouth that a platform of rocks extended 
from Portland to Start Point, and this extended to about 10 miles distance 
from Charmouth ; beyond, the sea-bottom was mostly sand. On this platform 
there were accumulations of shingle (coarse and fine). On this subject, see 
Prestwich’s paper on the Chesil Bank (‘ Proc. Inst. Civ. Eng.,’ vol. xl. p. 61). 
I was also informed that at Seatown there was a fearful ground-sea on Friday, 
April 24, 1868, and that it raised the bank of sand and shingle 5 feet, and it 
so remained. The night before, there was an earthquake at St. Heliers. 
By Horace B. WOODWARD. 
4, Bridport Harbour, &c. 
4. Dorsetshire. Bridport Harbour or West Bay, Eype to Burton Bradstock. 
2. Varied. Between Bridport Harbour and Burton Bradstock the cliffs are chiefly 
Sands with indurated bands ; to the west of Bridport Harbour and to the east 
of Burton Bradstock the cliffs are chiefly Clay and shale. Cliffs vary from 40 
to 190 feet in height. 
