Photo 13 (Return)

Rook Cliff, 2001. Located immediately downdrift of Hordle, its beach is narrow so that the cliffs have historically been exposed to marine erosion and retreat. A rock revetment has been constructed in front of a 1960s seawall in order to reduce wave reflection. Pleistocene river terrace and channel deposits rich in gravel and up to 7m in thickness outcrop within these cliffs, but currently are impounded by the defences. It is hypothesised that the historical erosion of such deposits would have been a major source of material for the development and maintenance of Hurst Spit 1-2km downdrift to the east (to the right).