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Burning Cliff

Cliffs of EnglandDorset geography stubsJurassic CoastLandforms of DorsetUse British English from January 2022
Burning Cliff geograph.org.uk 2991337
Burning Cliff geograph.org.uk 2991337

Burning Cliff is a cliff under the White Nothe headland at the eastern end of Ringstead Bay, in Dorset, England. The area is well known for its geology and fossils. The cliff is to the northwest of White Nothe. From 1826, the cliff smouldered with an underground fire for several years due to bituminous shale, hence the name.Geologically, Burning Cliff is on a Kimmeridge Clay outcrop. It is immediately west of the fault and Holworth House. The cliff was originally named Holworth Cliff. Today, the cliff consists of landslide, scrubland plants, with the Kimmeridge Clay partially visible. The Kimmeridge Clay above a fault connecting it with the Purbeck Formation to the east under Holworth House. There is a footpath on the cliff. The 1826 fire in the bituminous shale continued for several years. The fire is thought to have been started by heat caused by decomposing pyrite, common in bituminous shale. It emitted sulphurous fumes. At the top of the cliff is a Church of England church, St Catherine-by-the-Sea, Holworth. The cliff lies on the South West Coast Path and forms part of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site. The surrounding area is owned by the National Trust.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Burning Cliff (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

Burning Cliff
Fishers Place,

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Latitude Longitude
N 50.6332016 ° E -2.34103861 °
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RAF Ringstead Radar defence

Fishers Place
DT2 8NG , Owermoigne
England, United Kingdom
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Burning Cliff geograph.org.uk 2991337
Burning Cliff geograph.org.uk 2991337
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West Ringstead
West Ringstead

West Ringstead is a deserted medieval village located on the coast in Dorset, southern England. The village lies on the Jurassic Coast and is located west of the modern village of Ringstead. This medieval village with a church is located in a field to the west of the current Ringstead settlement. It is mentioned in the Domesday Book. It was most likely abandoned after the arrival of the Black Death at Weymouth in 1348. All that can be seen now are variations in the ground level. The site is listed on the National Heritage List for England as a Scheduled Monument (no. 1019393), listed on 15 January 1960.What remains of the village church now forms part of Glebe Cottage, immediately north of the main village site. It has walls consisting of local rubble and the roof covered with modern tiles. Only the chancel and its arch survive from the original medieval church building. The village site is in the parish of Osmington. There was a separate parish of Ringstead until at least the late 15th century. There are four different Ringsteads listed in the Domesday Book, each apparently a separate settlement. One was later given the name "West Ringstead". Another, later known as "Up Ringstead", may have been at the site of the present Upton House to the east above Ringstead Bay towards White Nothe. The location of "Middle Ringstead" is not known. The name of "East Ringstead" survived as a field name on an 1829 Tithe Map in the east of the parish. The location of West Ringstead is just inland from the South West Coast Path. To the east are Ringstead Bay and the headland of White Nothe. To the west are Bran Point and the village of Osmington Mills.

White Nothe
White Nothe

White Nothe (meaning "White Nose") is a chalk headland on the English Channel coast at the eastern end of Ringstead Bay, east of Weymouth in Dorset, England. The area is well known for its geology and fossils. Its flanks are the result of prehistoric landslides and the inaccessible slopes of the undercliff provide a secluded wildlife habitat. A zigzag path up the cliff is believed to be one of the locations alluded to as a smuggler's path in the British children's book Moonfleet by J. Meade Falkner. Walking to the base of White Nothe along the shore from Ringstead Bay is possible, but it is cut off at high tide, so much care should be taken. At the top of the Smugglers path, a protruding nose shape comes out of the white cliff, giving the name to the area. The area is partly owned by the National Trust. From the top of White Nothe, to the east, the chalk headland of Bat's Head can be viewed. Walking east along a clifftop path below the summit of Chaldon Hill is possible to Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove. The Isle of Portland can be seen to the southwest across the sea. Immediately to the northwest of White Nothe is the Burning Cliff, which from 1826 smouldered with an underground fire for several years due to the bituminous shale. Situated at the top of White Nothe is a World War II pillbox, constructed in 1940–41 of brick and concrete, as part of the anti-invasion measures. Unusually, the structure is also fitted with a Royal Observer Corps observation post built on top, which was to spot and report aircraft. There is also a row of former coastguards' cottages. White Nothe has featured in artworks.