durlston country park

Durlston Country Park is a 1.13 square kilometre (280-acre) nature reserve stretched along the Purbeck coast near Swanage in Dorset, England. The park, which is part of the Jurassic Coast world heritage site, has been owned by Dorset county council since the early 1970s and is mostly open access. The park has a mosaic of habitats hosting a wide range of species being largely free from agricultural use for centuries. The park has site of special scientific interest status which grants it a small amount of government protection. The underlying rock is limestone so the majority of the park is calcareous grassland, probably created about 1000 years ago by clearing of oak forest, hosting a range of wild flower species and associated animals such as butterflies. The grassland is maintained at a plagioclimax by a large population of grazing rabbits which prevent the growth of scrub and trees. The park is on a peninsula on the south coast of the British Isles and is first landfall for many migratory birds. In the 19th and 20th centuries Purbeck was quarried for its high-quality limestone. There were few open-cast quarries, and none in Durlston, but there are many mine shafts across the landscape, notably Tilly-Whim Caves in a dry glacial meltwater valley. In the 19th century George Burt built a small castle in the park on the hill above Swanage. Burt also commisioned a 40-ton limestone Globe engraved with an 1880s world map. Following the Great Fire of London the ruined city was rebuilt with Purbeck and Portland limestone (both found in Durlston). The footpaths around the castle and globe are lined with cast iron London bollards which were left in Swanage having been used as ballast by the ships transporting the stone to London.

External links

http://www.durlston.co.uk/

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