Mark Godden

We've Just returned from a fantastic week's holiday in west Devon. Mainly lovely weather with lots of interesting rocks to bother....

@BuddhistMatt @PeteGraydon Mainly Portland stone but technically speaking, some Purbeck beds (which overlie the Portland beds) have been exploited, mainly for aggregates. All late Jurassic in age.

@PeteGraydon All Portland stone or was other stone quarried ?

#Portland #Dorset #NicodemusKnob The top of this stack represents the original land level, before the quarrying back in the day.

Visited Lud's Church in Staffordshire last week. An amazing natural chasm with lots of associated folklore, incised into the millstone grit. Quite a trek but well worth the effort. Another one off of the bucket list.

@WGCG_UK Nice photo of Gad Cliff there!

It’s arrived!

@Golf_5_TM Probably not.

@jurassicg1rl @DarrenP72292935 I'm afraid that I no longer work in the mines on Portland, but if I did, I would have been happy to give you a tour. I changed jobs about a year ago.

@DarrenP72292935 I did not Darren, but I need to see @Titanites about a tour next year once I am done writing my book. I followed the coast path around the island, it was utterly stunning!

A place close to my heart, Portland in Dorset! Last year (when I had more time to be outdoors) I spent my birthday walking around the whole island. A glorious place for geologists and geographers! #jurassiccoast

@TheHistoryMouse @TimPalmerEO For completeness, here is what Warland has to say:

@Titanites @TimPalmerEO Which, give or take a word or two, is what Mouse said. But that describes where is is but not what is does structurally. Alas there are many words and many of them describe some aspect of the original masonry. TTM🐭

Dear Mus, I know you know long words. Please could you tell me the proper name of the larger end blocks in this lintel - the ones wot those trapezoidal voussoirs are actually pushing against. Thanks. @TheHistoryMouse

@TheHistoryMouse @TimPalmerEO I would say that in a more conventional situation, the imposts transfer gravitational loading from an arch carrying a high vertical component but in the flat arch in Tim's Photo, much of this loading is thrown into the walls with a higher horizontal component?

@TheHistoryMouse @TimPalmerEO In architecture, an impost or impost block is a projecting block resting on top of a column or embedded in a wall, serving as the base for the springer or lowest voussoir of an arch. Not sure you'll find a better word? 2/2

@TheHistoryMouse @TimPalmerEO I'm not really an expert (at anything) but did spend many years working closely with architectural masons. This is what Wikipedia has to say: 1/2

This apparently gravity defying topple has still not fully toppled after nearly ten years of toppling. It's still hanging in there...

Visited Kilve beach in north Somerset for the first time today. Some great early Jurassic geology on display. I'm sure that I'll be back.

@Geolominologist Yes. There has to be a place for some collecting (in my opinion) but I agree, I saw numerous people beating the hell out of various unfortunate cobbles using a variety of 'weapons' none of which had any chance whatever of recovering anything, only destroying.

Nice at Lyme today (dodging showers).

@PeteGraydon The 'reinforcement' must be something buried beneath the path. Possibly from quarrying or from the military (radar or anti-aircraft guns)? Lots of movement in the cliffs this year. A process that never stops.

@Titanites 1 of 2 The coastal path erosion on the edge of Tout quarry as we know have been getting worse over the last 12 months. Picture 1, I took today, it's only when I get home and view it I see what looks like reinforcement in the hole. #CoastalErosion #Portland #Dorset

@PeteGraydon It was Portland's main sewer outlet. Raw sewage was discharged just off shore.

Hi @Titanites Is this a man made jetty for loading barges back in the day. Taken near the entrance to costal path via pumping station off Southwell High street/Portland Bill road.

A nice day in lovely Lyme yesterday, at the bottom of the Jurassic. Consorting with ammonites.

Lovely light at the 'Hell Stone' on the hills above the village of Portesham at the weekend.