Little Beach, Portland
Little Beach is a small secluded beach on the eastern side of the Isle of Portland, Dorset, England; part of the Jurassic Coast. It is found at East Weares, below Grove Point, below HM Prison Portland on the cliff-top above, and is found in close proximity of the two Salt Pans. Other features within the East Weares area includes King's Pier, East Weares Rifle Range, Folly Pier Waterworks, Folly Pier and Durdle Pier respectively.[1] The East Weares area, including Little Beach, has been labelled a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), largely due to the surrounding scrub and wildlife being of high nature conservation value.[2]
Background
Along with Church Ope Cove further south along the eastern side of Portland, Little Beach is one of the few beaches on Portland. However unlike Church Ope, Little Beach is often undisturbed. At the back of the beach, the soft Kimmeridge Clay stratum can be seen at sea level. The entire island sits on this clay, which can also be seen along the western coastline past Chesil Cove, around Hallelujah Bay and Clay Ope.[3]
One of two remaining Victorian sewer ventilators are found at East Weares, one of which sits above the coastline between the Salt Pans and Little Beach. The other is below the clifftop nearby. The ventilator is now a Scheduled Monument. Also between the Pans and the beach is an old stone jetty, still largely intact.[3] The Portland Branch Railway, which ran through East Weares before being closed in 1965, ran above the beach.
As part of the anti-invasion measures during World War II, a minefield was placed above Little Beach, amongst other sites across East Weares. It formed part of the Isle of Portland Defences and Dorset Coastal Defences and was laid out in 1940-41. The minefield killed two American servicemen on 27 July 1944. The incident was witnessed by Frank Dawe of Yeovil, a member of the Royal Observer Corps on duty at the observation post at Grove Point, along with Gordon Black, a local who lived at The Grove village. The minefield had been cleared by 1946.[4]
Access
Little Beach can be reached via a pathway veering off the official coastal path of the East Weares area. A similar pathway further north links to the Salt Pans, and the remains of the Folly Pier Waterworks. The beach can also be reached via the coastline edge as well.
References
- ↑ "Brandy Row - Shelagh Mazey - Google Books". Books.google.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-06-10.
- ↑ East Weares Information Sign for Portland Goats
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Salt pans, a mine and a dead whale on Portland, Dorset". Geoffkirby.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-06-10.
- ↑ "Detailed Result: MONUMENT NO. 1420420". Pastscape. 1944-07-27. Retrieved 2014-06-10.
Coordinates: 50°32′55″N 2°25′00″W / 50.5486°N 2.4167°W
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||