The Dorset and East Devon Coast World Heritage Site, known as the ‘Jurassic Coast’ is in a global family of World Heritage Sites that highlight our internationally shared heritage and the shared history, identity and relationship with nature. World Heritage Sites belong to everyone equally, regardless of the geographic or political boundary in which they are located.
World Heritage sites indicate a place where there is the potential for a deep learning experience, helping us to understand our place within the long history of our planet.
The Jurassic Coast was inscribed by UNESCO in 2001 under criteria VIII.
“The coastal exposures along the Dorset and East Devon coast provide an almost continuous sequence of Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous rock formations spanning the Mesozoic Era and document approximately 185 million years of Earth's history.
The property includes a range of globally significant fossil localities - both, vertebrate and invertebrate, marine and terrestrial - which have produced well preserved and diverse evidence of life during Mesozoic times. It also contains textbook exemplars of coastal geomorphological features, landforms and processes.
Renowned for its contribution to Earth science investigations for over 300 years, the Dorset and East Devon coast has helped foster major contributions to many aspects of geology, palaeontology and geomorphology and has continuing significance as a high quality teaching, training and research resource for the Earth sciences” - UNESCO
Yet the value of the rich social history on the Jurassic Coast must also be celebrated. The role of Mary Anning in shaping the future of palaeontology as a woman within a relatively turbulent social backdrop for instance highlights how closely entwined humanity has always been with our natural environment.
to add an item to your Itinerary basket.
Stay updated and follow us
