🪸 Dorset and East Devon Coast: Portland Harbour Shore
Geological exposure of 185 million years of Jurassic and Cretaceous rock formations along England's southern coast
📌 Fast Facts
- Location: Isle of Portland, Dorset, southern England
- Rock age span: Triassic through Cretaceous, approximately 185 million years
- Primary stone: Portland Stone limestone with marine fossils and stratification
- UNESCO inscription: 2001
Portland Harbour Shore is a coastal geological section in Dorset, England, that exposes continuous rock strata spanning 185 million years of Earth's history. The shoreline connects Chesil Beach to the west with Weymouth Bay, displaying limestone cliffs carved by marine erosion and featuring fossilized shells, ammonites, and marine organism remains from ancient seas. Portland Harbour Shore was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001 as part of the Jurassic Coast, recognised for its ...