Cultural

The Jurassic Coast is a Natural World Heritage Site and there is enough cultural richness here to satisfy even the most discerning culture vulture.

Mining and Stone-Working

Let’s start with the area’s rich history of mining and stone-working, geological industries that have been woven into the fabric of the coast and its towns, villages and people across centuries.

Visits to Beer Quarry Caves, Portland Museum and Winspit Quarry all offer fascinating insights into this hard and gruelling activity that defined much of the working life of the Jurassic Coast, and can still be seen in action to this day.

Professional Fossil Collecting

Paired with the coast’s centuries-long history of stone-working is its history of professional fossil collecting, which we’ve collected under the banner of Fossil Conservation.

These palaeo heroes, whose lineage runs from Mary Anning and William Buckland to Steve Etches and Lizzie Hingley, have contributed towards the Jurassic Coast being world-renowned as the birthplace of palaeontology. This ongoing work to rescue, conserve and prepare fossils before the sea claims them forever is represented across the coast through our cohort of outstanding Museums and Visitor Centres.

A Literary Haven

The Jurassic Coast has also served as a literary haven across the years, with renowned authors including Thomas Hardy, Jane Austen, John Fowles and Enid Blyton all finding their voice here at one point or another.

Visit the 800 year-old Cobb in Lyme Regis (setting of Fowles’ The French Lieutenant’s Woman) or one of Hardy’s frost-bitten Wessex landscapes and you’ll see why the coast has always served as an inspiration for the written word. Today, popular annual events such as Bridport Literary Festival and Budleigh Salterton Literature Festival keep the tradition alive.

Human History

In addition to its Mesozoic delights, the Jurassic Coast plays host to remarkable remnants of human history from across the ages. From the Iron Age hillfort of Woodbury Castle in East Devon to Dorchester’s Maumbury Rings – a Neolithic henge - to the spectacular, postcard-ready Corfe Castle, there’s something to satisfy the appetite of any history buff no matter their specialism.

Turning to the 20^th century, a visit to Tyneham in Purbeck, The Tank Museum in Bovington or one of the coast’s WWII sites (such as Fort Henry near Swanage) shows there is no shortage of significant recent history on offer here either.

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Guided Walks at Worbarrow Bay

Address

Worbarrow Tout, Tyneham, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5PF

Telephone
01308 807000

info@jurassiccoast.org

Wareham

Join Jurassic Coast Ambassador John Scott for a guided walk to one of the Jurassic Coast’s most spectacular locations - Worbarrow Bay in Purbeck. This is a circular walk taking approximately three hours – starting at 10:30am and finishing by 2pm,…
Jurassic Coast Sustainability Summit 2023

Address

The Tithe Barn, Manor Yard, Mill Lane, Symondsbury, Bridport, Dorset, DT6 6HG

info@jurassiccoast.org

Symondsbury, Bridport

Join the Jurassic Coast Trust and a superb selection of speakers for our 2023 Sustainability Summit, held on Thursday 23 March 2023 at the Symondsbury Estate Tithe Barn (near Bridport in West Dorset).
The day will feature a range of speakers from…
Jurassic Coast Cruise from Poole

Address

The Quay, Poole, Dorset, BH15 1BQ

Telephone
01308 807000

info@jurassiccoast.org

Poole

Join the Jurassic Coast Trust and City Cruises Poole for a rare glimpse of the spectacular cliffs and features of the World Heritage site from the sea, accompanied by commentary from our expert local Ambassadors and fish and chips.
Date: Thursday…
Jurassic Coast Cruise from Poole

Address

The Quay, Poole, Dorset, BH15 1BQ

Telephone
01308 807000

info@jurassiccoast.org

Poole

The Jurassic Coast Trust team up with City Cruises Poole for a leisurely evening cruise along the easternmost section of the Jurassic Coast, with commentary provided by our JCT Geologist Saskia Elliott. Learn more about our spectacular World…
Beneath the Waves Exhibition

Address

The Chapel on the Beach, W Bay Rd, West Bay, Bridport, Dorset, DT6 4EN

Telephone
01308 427288

info@westbaydiscoverycentre.org.uk

West Bay, Bridport

2023 has been designated as “The Year of the Coast”.
In our new exciting ‘Beneath the Waves’ exhibition, we look at the secrets of Lyme Bay. We explore the historical and current fishing practices, from the traditional seine netting for mackerel…
Lyme Bay the Road to Recovery

Address

The Salt House, West Bay, Bridport, Dorset, DT6 4HB

Telephone
01308 427288

info@westbaydiscoverycentre.org.uk

West Bay, Bridport

The Lyme Bay Fisheries and Conservation Reserve is a model for marine conservation and sustainable fisheries, successfully restoring nationally important reefs while supporting and giving a voice to local fishermen who practice low-impact…
Letters from Lyme: Mary Anning Through her Correspondence

Address

Woodmead Hall, Hill Rd, Lyme Regis, Dorset, DT7 3PG

info@jurassiccoast.org

Lyme Regis

Much has been written about Mary Anning and her fossil discoveries. But what did she herself have to say? In this talk we’ll look at Mary’s life and work through her letters and those of her friends and clients.
Date: Friday 28th April, 10:30am in…
Geology Day Trip from Exmouth

Address

Exmouth Marina, Exmouth, Devon, EX8 1FE

Telephone
01395 222144

stuartlinecruisesexmouth@googlemail.com

Exmouth

A day-long field trip along the Devon coastline. With a leading geologist on-board, our geology field trips have a full commentary throughout going into fantastic detail on all the rock formations and ever-changing heritage landscape as we gently…
Seining Along Chesil -Talk

Address

The Salt House, West Bay, Dorset, DT6 4HB

Telephone
01308 427288

manager@westbaydiscovery.org.uk

West Bay

Join oral history writer and poet Sarah Acton talking about the traditions of seine fishing communities along Chesil Beach and remembering the communities involved locally for generations, with readings from Sarah’s new book together with stories…
Dorset Museum

Address

High West Street, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 1XA

Telephone
01305 756827

enquiries@dorsetmuseum.org

Dorchester

Come and explore 250 million years of history at the Dorset Museum!
Located in the centre of Dorchester, this award-winning Museum is one of the cultural centres of Dorset with four themed galleries, special exhibitions area, a library and a café.
Spyway Dinosaur Footprints

Address

Langton Matravers, Swanage, Dorset, BH19 3HG

info@jurassiccoast.org

Swanage

Hidden away in Purbeck, within a stone's throw of the Jurassic Coast, is the Spyway Dinosaur Footprints. Nestled alongside a working quarry, and easily accessible from the Priest's Way walking path, these incredible footprints were made by Jurassic…
Orcombe Point

Address

Exmouth, Devon, EX8 2DH

Exmouth

The rocks exposed at Orcombe Point embody the opening paragraphs of the story contained within the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site. The Geoneedle monument found here marks the official start (or end if you prefer) of the World Heritage Site.
The Ammonite Pavement

Address

Lyme Regis, Dorset, DT7 3RH

Lyme Regis

Taking a short walk west along Monmouth Beach at low tide will bring you to the Ammonite Pavement - a number of limestone ledges, washed clear by the sea.
Wareham Town Museum

Address

Town Hall, East Street, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 4NS

Telephone
01929 553448

Wareham

Wareham Town Museum's geology display shows how the Wytch Farm oil field (the largest onshore oilfield in western Europe) is closely linked to the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site.
Sidmouth Toy & Model Museum

Address

The Old Chapel, Chapel Street, Sidmouth, Devon, EX10 8ND

Telephone
07858 448444

Info@sidmouthtoymuseum.com

Sidmouth

The Sidmouth Toy & Model Museum first opened in August 2020. The museum contains the collection of vintage and modern toys and models collected by Ian and Rebecca Gregory over a period of 40 years.
The Etches Collection

Address

Kimmeridge, Dorset, BH20 5PE

Telephone
01929 270000

Kimmeridge

The Etches Collection: Museum of Jurassic Marine Life opened in the village of Kimmeridge in October 2016. The museum houses the remarkable collection of one man’s passion, bringing to life the stories from deep time through an amazing collection of…
Wildlife Photographer of the Year Exhibition

Address

Seaton Tramway, Harbour Road, Seaton, Devon, EX12 2NQ

Telephone
(01297) 20375

info@tram.co.uk

Seaton

WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR EXHIBITION
The world-renowned exhibition, on loan from the Natural History Museum in London, will open at Seaton Tramway on 9th February featuring exceptional images which capture fascinating animal behaviour,…
Lyme Regis Summer Events

Address

Lyme Regis Museum, Bridge Street, Lyme Regis, Dorset, DT7 3QA

Telephone
01297 443370

walks@lymeregismuseum.co.uk

Lyme Regis

Check out the Lyme Regis Museum Summer Events scheme, includes, walks, exhibitions, family activities and workshops, all details can be found on their website.
An Evening Of Dorset Nature Photography

Address

Dorset Museum & Art Gallery, High Street West, Dorchester, DT1 1XA

Telephone
01305 262735

Dorchester

To celebrate our Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition, our second event in the Autumn Culture Club programme is Wildlife Photography: A Look at Dorset Naturally on Wednesday 2 October (6:30pm - 9:00pm).
Studland Bay - South Beach

Address

S W Coast Path, Studland, Swanage, Dorset, BH19 3AN

Swanage

South Beach in Studland Bay is a sandy beach, and is fairly narrow compared to neighbouring Studland beaches. As with other Studland Beaches, South Beach is very popular, particularly during peak periods.