GEOGRAPHY FIELDWORK
Hengistbury Head Visitor and Education Centre
Hengistbury Head is………….
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Nature Reserve
Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)
Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Scheduled Ancient Monument
Public Open Space
Should we spend taxpayers money protecting Hengistbury Head?
Hengistbury Head protects the shallow estuary that forms Mudeford
Harbour and coastal areas surrounding Christchurch Priory. If the Head
was not there the areas of Stanpit and Purewell would be subject to
greater flooding than they already are.
A lot of animals, insects and birds live on the Head and are important to
the food chain e.g. Damselflies, Kestrels, Field Mice.
Surrounding the harbour are the reed beds, which are of international
importance. They provide a valuable food source for birds migrating
north or south. The reed beds are a very important habitat.
The cliffs are formed of soft sandstone and Sand Martins come here to
nest in holes in the cliff face.
Hengistbury Head has a large variety of habitats; there is huge diversity
in a small area.
 Ancient Grasslands- home to birds, insects, lizards.
 Heathland (heathland is fast disappearing in Dorset).
 Ponds-16 species of Dragonfly/Damselfly breed here. The Natterjack
Toad that is very rare has been introduced and thrives here.
 Ancient Woodland-wildflowers, fungi and small mammals are found
here.
Hengistbury Head is an SSSI because of its biodiversity.
Ancient Monument
The Head is also important historically. Evidence remains of a Stone Age
settlement in the form of flint tools dating from 2500 years ago.
2000 years ago a Celtic Settlement grew up here and there is evidence
of smelting iron, tool making and trading with the Romans. Pieces of
Roman wine jugs have been found. The Celts built the Double Dykes for
protection from invasion.
Hengistbury Head was not always a headland. A band of chalk
running through the Isle of Wight can be seen as evidence that it once
connected with the band of chalk running through the Purbecks.8000
years ago Hengistbury was a hill inland away from the sea.
After the last Ice Age, sea levels rose and the chalk ridge was breached.
Hengistbury Head remains as a headland because the rock that forms it
contains ironstone that was not eroded as quickly as the rest of the bay.
Looking at an ariel view of the Headland we can see that the lower
section is quite narrow and vulnerable. It is possible that it could be
breached in time thus cutting off the higher ground forming an island.
This would have a severe impact on the area around Mudeford Harbour.
From photographs we can see that the lower section has experienced a
lot of erosion in the past 90 years.
Reasons for this erosion
The lower cliffs are formed of layers of soft sands and gravels. They are
made up of bands of soil/gravelstone/sandstone/gravelstone.
The high cliffs are made up of bands of soil/gravelstone/Highcliffe
sands/clay/ironstone/clay and at the bottom black sand. The high
cliffs are stronger but are still subject to erosion due to slumping.
The erosion of the cliffs is caused by processes of chemical action,
mechanical and biological weathering.
Public Amenity
1,250000 people visit Hengistbury Head every year and these people are
responsible for some erosion.
People walking close to the cliff edge trample the grass/vegetation,
which is then lost and so no longer binds the soil together. Where
vegetation has gone the soil is washed or blown away and small gullies
form. These gradually get larger and are made worse by people climbing
them.
Also as vegetation is removed from the higher cliffs, the water soaks into
the ground, it seeps down and reaches the clay where it seeps out at the
joint. The clay is made slippery and heavy and slips down the slope
this is called Rotational Slip.
Protecting the base of the cliff is an excellent method of preventing
erosion. Gabions have been placed on the lower cliffs to protect the
Double Dykes and have been very effective.
A large wide beach has formed at the base of the cliff as a result of the
Long Groyne. The SW longshore drift has built up a considerable
amount of material over the 60 years since it was built.
In 1989 the council dredged up tons of shingle from off the coast of the
Isle of Wight and deposited it on the beach at Hengistbury- Beach
renourishment. This however removed by the action of the sea at a rate of
10% per year and so little if any remains. Nothing is now protecting the
base of the cliff.
Groynes would be the best defence but they cost £80,000 each and 6
would be necessary. Also building groynes has an impact further along
the coast.
People Management
The placing of strategic fencing that keeps people away from the cliff
edge can reduce visitor impact. Good footpaths encourage people to stay
on the path and not trample the grassland.
The Noddy Train is useful because it reduces the numbers of people
walking on the Headland.
Sometime ago it was decided to block the existing pathway between the
Double Dykes and this has allowed for a dramatic recovery in the
vegetation. Skylarks are once again nesting in the long grasses, an
indication of an excellent recovery.