Jurassic Coast - Exmouth

I am so incredibly excited because I have finally arrived in the seaside town of Exmouth, England. Here I will embark on a journey along the UNESCO-designated Jurassic Coast. As I travel this coastline from Exmouth to Studland, I look forward to learning about the millions of years of geology and paleontology that make up this incredible coastline.
 

But before I launch into talking about the Jurassic Coast, let me first tell you about Exmouth. Located at the mouth of the River Exe estuary, Exmouth is a charming port town that's been inhabited since the 11th century. It was known as Lydwicnaesse, a name derived from the Celtic word for fish. Developing as a small settlement, the town suffered from pirate raids in the 17th century, but by the 18th century, it grew into a seaside resort. Today, it is the oldest holiday resort in the county of Devon.

Exmouth has a mix of architecture from cob cottages made of natural building materials and townhouses from different eras, including Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian. There is a lovely row of period townhouses on The Beacon and another terrific collection of white, nearly uniform Victorian townhouses on the seafront promenade, distinguished only by their different coloured front doors.

A particular house of interest is A La Ronde, a quirky 16-sided house built by two spinster cousins in the late 18th century. Jane and Mary Parminter set out with Jane's sister and a friend on a European tour over several years. Returning home with trunks full of memorabilia, the cousins set about to build a home inspired by their travels and a visit to the 6th-century Byzantine Basilica di San Vitale in Ravenna, Italy. The house is three storeys high, with the attic featuring nine gorgeous dormer windows, filtering plenty of natural light. The interior contains a feather frieze in the drawing room and a shell-encrusted gallery. The two cousins were artistic and resourceful, using findings such as shells, feathers and seaweed to create their artworks. Of note was the landscape art made from sand, seaweed and shells and the bird images made with actual feathers. Among the many treasures and souvenirs are a series of incredibly detailed seashell pictures from Italy that have unbelievably survived their many bumpy road travels around Europe.

Having finished my exploration of Exmouth, I was ready to get going, take in the vastness of the English Channel and slowly peel the layers of history nestled within the coastline's towering cliffs. Made of sedimentary rock, the cliffs formed during the Mesozoic Era, also known as the "Age of Dinosaurs", spanning from 252 to 66 million years ago (mya). The era consisted of three major periods: the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous. It was a time of great change that saw the rise and extinction of many plants and animals, and the layers of rock hold the story of the Earth's past.

Although there will be variables, the easiest way to picture the Jurassic Coast is that from Exmouth to Lyme Regis, I'm passing through the Triassic layer, the first period of the Mesozoic era. From Lyme Regis to Studland, I'll pass through the Jurassic layer and the most exciting period. This is where the real dinosaur action happened. Then I'll finally reach Studland with its chalky white Cretaceous layer.

I look forward to discovering this ancient landscape's mysteries, beginning with the Triassic rock as I head toward Sidmouth.



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