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Rocky shore on the Jurassic Coast, Isle of Portland, England
Which Portland is this?
Like the Isle of Portland is tied to the mainland via a skinny strip of shingle beach, this whole stretch of southern English shore is tied to the distant past – and not just in name. The fossils and formations found along the 150-kilometre Jurassic Coast present a geologic record that covers not just the Jurassic period, but the whole Mesozoic era and beyond. It's a story spanning hundreds of millions of years, still being written through continual coastal erosion. As winds and waves crumble this World Heritage Site's chalky cliffs bit by bit, new fossils and sediment layers are constantly being uncovered.
Which Portland is this?
Like the Isle of Portland is tied to the mainland via a skinny strip of shingle beach, this whole stretch of southern English shore is tied to the distant past – and not just in name. The fossils and formations found along the 150-kilometre Jurassic Coast present a geologic record that covers not just the Jurassic period, but the whole Mesozoic era and beyond. It's a story spanning hundreds of millions of years, still being written through continual coastal erosion. As winds and waves crumble this World Heritage Site's chalky cliffs bit by bit, new fossils and sediment layers are constantly being uncovered.
The coveted building material called Portland stone has been used to build some of the nation's most iconic buildings.
© Ben Pipe / Sime / eStock 2026-09-11 08:45:51 :