Jurassic Coast landslip, Lyme Regis

[hyarrowen]

What would this area have been known as during the early 1800s?
By 1839, on the eve of the Great Landslip, it had its present name. Would the earlier formation, formed by the 1775 landslip, also be known as the Undercliff?

Searched:

Donald Campbell, Exploring the Undercliffs

Comments

[framlingem]

I don't know the answer myself (even though that's where my mother grew up! I just know current names), but you might want to check with the Ordnance Survey maps, which go back to the 1740s, are incredibly detailed, and originally focussed on the South Coast. https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/about/overview/history.html

Their education and research division might be useful: https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/education-research/index.html
I wonder if the British Library could point you in the direction of some old maps, as well.

[hyarrowen]

Thankyou! I have a librarian friend who knows her way around old maps. I really don't know why I didn't think of that myself - but I'll email her right away.

[framlingem]

Good luck!

I also found the OED citation, which has the term being used for Worsley in the Isle of Wight (not too far away) in 1781.

"1. A terrace or lower cliff formed from landslips caused by the action of rain and sea.

[1781 Worsley Isle of Wight 211 The country below this range of cliffs, is called, by the inhabitants, Under Cliff, or Under Way.]
1829 J. Phillips Illustr. Geol. Yorks. I. 89 A very extensive slip of the superior heights, forming an ‘undercliff’.
1865 J. H. Bennet Winter in S. Europe (ed. 3) iv. 60 A small amphitheatre, formed on the coast-line or undercliff of the mountains of southern Europe.
1880 Daily Tel. 23 Sept. The gradual movements along the undercliffs in the Isle of Wight.
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2. (See quot. 1883 and next.)

1883 W. S. Gresley Gloss. Terms Coal Mining 267 Undercliff, argillaceous shale forming the floor of many coal seams in this coal-field."

[hyarrowen]

Phew. The 1781 reference would seem to nail it! Since the Isle of Wight is not so far away, and it's such a useful term for what is indescribable otherwise without a lot of roundaboutation, I'll go with that. Thank-you so much! *big relief*

[evalyin]

This website are very powerful historically

[snailbones]

You've already mentioned all the books I've got on the subject, so I haven't got much more to give, except I've lived near Lyme on and off all my life and never heard it called anything else other than the Undercliff (it seems to be a general term for land on the side of cliffs as there are a couple of other places locally also referred to as 'undercliff'), so I don't think you can go far wrong using Undercliff. The only other names I've ever heard used are things like Donkey Green - but that's just a part of the whole.

The only other thing I can suggest is getting in touch with the local museum - the Philpot Museum. http://www.lymeregismuseum.co.uk/

Sorry not to be able to help more - I've known the area so long too! *iz ashamed*

[hyarrowen]

You've already mentioned all the books I've got on the subject

:D

The earliest use of the term I've found is 1836, for the undercliff on the Isle of Wight, not too far off my date. If it's a general term, chances are it's been in use for a long time anyway - topographical features seem to have that propensity if they've been around for a while. I looked at individual stretches, but realised that they'd refer to the 1839 landslip, and therefore probably not suitable for the earlier one. I might well go with "undercliff", not capitalised, to make it stand out a little less.

Have emailed the museum. Fingers crossed. Thanks for the suggestion!

[snailbones]

Sorry I couldn't help more, and good luck with whatever you're working on!

[bookwormsarah]

For a fictional but thoroughly researched description of Lyme at that time I recommend Tracy Chevalier's Remarkable Creatures about Mary Anning and her fossil collecting.

[hyarrowen]

Ha, my local library has got it! Thank-you!

[corvideye]

IAWTC! A thought-provoking and enjoyable book.