Purbeck: Kimmeridge Bay and Clavell Tower

The water streaming over the cliff into the bay (towards the left of this photo) is a much better indication of the weather than the false impression of sunshine conveyed by the photo. It was just that some patches of grass were less dark than others.

The tower. Yet another folly - of which Purbeck can boast several - this one was built in 1830. It became the more picturesque as it decayed and became increasingly threatened by coastal erosion. It was only a matter of years before it would tumble down the cliff.

What you see here is not the original folly, but a new folly reconstructed 25 yards inland of the original. The stones were reused, the cost of the project was in the region of £900,000. It is used for holiday letting, and the views from it must be just as stupendous as those enjoyed by anyone walking along the coastal path.

But how long will it be before this new folly is threatened by erosion ?


Lovers of detective fiction might like to know taht this tower was the inspiration for the 1975 P D James novel "The Black Tower".