272 2EP0RT— 1903. 



1896-98, however, thirteen groynes were erected along the foreshore 

 between Poole Head and North Haven Point, which have led to an accu- 

 mulation of sand along their western sides, and produced an advance of the 

 foreshore.^ A comparison of the Admiralty charts of 1849 and 1878 shows 

 that a considerable amount of accretion took place along the northern 

 foreshore of Studland Bay within this period, which may be attributed to 

 the protection afforded, during the latter part of this period, by a training 

 bank, carried out in a southerly direction from the southern extremity of 

 South Haven Point, for a length of 1,300 feet between 1860 and 1876 ; 

 but the latest charts indicate that some accretion has taken place since 

 1878 in the vicinity of South Haven Point. A small quantity of shingle 

 is occasionally taken from Ballard Point. From this promontory as far 

 as Swyre Head, West Lul worth, practically no loss seems to occur, and no 

 groynes have been built. From West Lulworth as far as the Chesil Beach 

 losses to the coast are common. High spring tides and strong winds, 

 heavy rains, and thaws after severe frosts, are responsible for the damage 

 done. Four groynes formerly erected along the shore at Preston are now 

 reduced to one, which is useless for stopping the travelling beach. A 

 proposal to erect groynes was under consideration in 1899 by the town 

 authorities of Weymouth. No beach material is removed from this 

 neighbourhood except the northern part of Portland. 



Three reports include the whole of the Isle of Portland, and mention 

 no alteration. This does not agree with the result of Wheeler's investi- 

 gations. He notes a loss of land on the eastern side and gives an estimate 

 of loss for 'the centre part of the island ' of a foot per annum (' The Sea 

 Coast,' p. 153). When we reach Burton Bradstock, at the western ex- 

 tremity of the Chesil Bank, loss of land is reported. Between Swyre 

 Gulley and Freshwater (Burton Bradstock) there was formerly sufficient 

 land under the cliffs to pasture cattle. This is now gone, replaced by 

 sand and shingle, while the sea beats against the cliff at spring tides. 

 There are no groynes until we reach the eastward side of the harbour at 

 Lyme Regis, and, though but little beach material is removed, encroach- 

 ments occur as far as 2 miles beyond the county boundary. The loss of 

 cliff in the neighbourhood of Lyme Regis is due almost entirely to the 

 alternation of hard and soft material aided by the percolation of rain. 

 The blue Lias stone is taken away to be burnt for lime. 



This part of the Dorset coast has been the subject of several reports 

 on Form II. Two come from the Preston C.G.S. (near Weymouth), 

 recording falls of cliff from the eastern end of the station, in the one case 

 600 feet long, with a width of 18 to 40 feet, in the other 100 feet long by 

 50 to 90 feet broad (April 15, 1901). In January 1903 several tons of 

 cliff fell into the sea half a mile west of the Burton C.G.S. ; in June 

 1899 a fall took place between West Bay and Eype ; and in September 

 1902 at Clay Knapp (200 yards east of Eype's Mouth, near Bridport), 

 another 26 yards long by 6 or 8 feet wide. 



From near the Devon county-boundary as far as Cliff Castle, Beer 

 Head, there is no loss of coast, and no groynes have been built ; but a 

 slight encroachment is recorded from Branscombe. 



' Eeport on Poole Harbour Protection to the Poole Harbour Commissioners, by 

 L. F. Vernon-Harcourt, November 2i, 1903 (Poole 1903). 



