Explore the new Star Wars series filming location on the Jurassic Coast

The new Star Wars TV series Andor has been released this week, streaming on Disney +. Here at the JCT we’re a little bit excited as parts of the series were filmed right here on the Jurassic Coast! Read on for all the juicy details and how you can see the soon-to-be-famous locale yourself.

Winspit Quarry

The setting for some portions of Andor is Winspit Quarry, a dramatic coastal location in Purbeck, the south-eastern portion of the Jurassic Coast. Although the subject of each episode of Andor will be a closely guarded secret prior to airing, we can reasonably deduce that the series will utilise the epic setting of quarried limestone rock set amidst crashing seas, with the dramatic sweep of the Purbeck coastline in the background.

Winspit Quarry has a fascinating history of which this new screen adaptation is the latest chapter. It was the site of much quarrying activity until as recently as the 1950s. Portland Stone was quarried here, a world-famous building stone that has been used in St Paul’s Cathedral and the United Nations HQ in New York amongst many other important buildings.

There is evidence at Winspit Quarry of a ‘rutway’ for a man-hauled cart being cut into the rock, at the point where it meets the sea. The carts were used to transport quarried stone onto barges, where it would be taken to London for processing and sale.

Portland Stone is a limestone that dates from the Late Jurassic, and is between 145 and 152 million years old. It was laid down in marine conditions and is abundant with fossilised remains of sea creatures, including spectacular specimens of giant ammonites known as Titanites. The best place to see these remarkable creatures is on the Isle of Portland itself, at Portland Museum and dotted around the island in people’s gardens and other settings.

Visiting the Quarry

One of the best things about this latest star-turn for the Jurassic Coast is that Winspit Quarry is perfectly placed to enjoy on a day out. The quarry is a short walk from the village of Worth Matravers in Purbeck, which is reached by traveling from nearby West Lulworth to the west or Wareham and Corfe Castle to the east.

You can park in the village car park which has an honesty box and an overflow area for busy days. From here, the iconic Purbeck pub The Square and Compass is just over the road. To reach Winspit, head due south through the village until you reach the narrow footpath, which will take you down to the coast. The village itself is charming and historic and makes for a dramatic contrast to the stunning wild vistas on offer at the quarry.

Once at the quarry, you can take in the fabulous views whilst exploring some of the abandoned quarrying infrastructure, much of which is well-preserved in hardy limestone. There is an eerie cave-like structure here known as a ‘gallery’, a remnant of the extensive quarrying activity that took place here over many years. You can see where vertical limestone supports have been erected by quarrymen to prevent the roof from caving in. The keen-eyed will also be able to spot fossilised shells on the roof - the remains of Jurassic sea creatures preserved in the limestone.

If entering this area, be sure to take great care as it is essentially an abandoned work site rather than a natural attraction.

Make a Day of It

If you’re making a day of it, be sure to check out the Spyway Dinosaur Footprints which are also easily accessible from Worth Matravers, via the Priests Way footpath. Look out for the little ‘Dinosaur Tracks’ sign as you traverse the walking path in the direction of Swanage. At the footprints site you can see and stand in over 100 prints made by giant sauropods during the Jurassic Period.

Dinosaurs and Star Wars, what more could you want from a Jurassic Coast day out?