Archaeology and Coastal Change

Dorset Coast Erosion Dorset’s coast has been constantly changing for thousands of years. Erosion and deposition can have huge effects on the historic environment. Ancient sites can be destroyed through the erosion of cliff-faces or become buried deep beneath estuarine silts.

One of the priorities of Wessex Archaeology’s research has been to identify areas where changes might cause damage to archaeological remains.

Doghouse Cliff As well as noting known archaeological sites threatened by coastal change, Wessex Archaeology has been able to define areas where there is a high potential for surviving archaeological remains offshore.

The threat presented to archaeological remains has also been assessed against possible coastal change data from Future Coast. See a section of the Dorset coast with the areas of the coast of immediate interest highlighted in orange.

This information will help DCC prioritise areas for fieldwork in the next stage of the Dorset Coast Historic Environment Survey.