DID YOU KNOW?
Quarrying has been an important
industry in Purbeck for centuries.
Purbeck stone, taken from limestone
beds, has been used in many local
buildings and there are a number of
coastal quarry workings along the
coast between Swanage and
Kimmeridge.October 2019 Digital SLR Photography 81
village of Tyneham – also worth exploring
- which was commandeered during World
War II and never returned.
For photographers, one of the main draws
in this area is Kimmeridge Bay. Best-known
for the large ledge in the centre of the bay
and ‘Clavell’s Tower’, a folly on the eastern
headland, there is so much more to it than
these well-photographed features. There is
some remarkable geology on the western
side of the bay, where the ledges are
criss-crossed with cracks, resembling an
elephant’s hide. There’s more of the same
around the corner at Broad Bench, together
with fabulous rock pools and gullies that fill
up with the incoming tide. Past the eastern
headland is Clavell’s pier, the remains of an
old stone pier and more ledges, which here
look like crazy paving.
Generally speaking a sunset location,
Kimmeridge can be shot all year round,
depending on the viewpoint, and usually
looks best on a mid-tide of around a metre.
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