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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 1,442
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The Permian breccia is well-exposed in the cliff. Durrance and Laming (1982) commented that there are several well-marked sand dyke structures and some porphyritic rhyolite boulders. This breccia does not have an abundance of limestone clasts as in the breccia at The Ness, Shaldon. The breccia horizons alternate with thin sand beds. The strata are almost horizontal. The harder breccia beds project in the seaward (southeast-facing) cliff, where, from time to time, strong southeasterly waves and winds strike the coast. Blocks then fall from the projecting breccia beds to lead to an accumulation of large angular blocks on the shore, as shown in the aerial photograph. Failure occurs at intervals here as shown by the changes to Clerk Rock. Coastal retreat cannot be very rapid though, or features such as the Parson Rock would not have survived.