Durdle Door

Location: +50° 37’ 16.28" -2° 16’ 34.03"

Durdle Door is a stunning natural limestone arch located on the Jurassic Coast in Dorset, England. The land is privately owned by the Weld family, but the site remains open to the public. The coastline’s unique shape results from layers of hard and soft rock, along with natural cracks and folds. The hardest rock, Portland limestone, originally lined the shoreline and forms the arch, as well as the narrow entrance to nearby Lulworth Cove.

Behind the limestone lies a 120-meter-thick band of softer rock, followed by a thick layer of chalk. These steeply tilted layers are part of the Lulworth crumple, a geological feature formed millions of years ago during the creation of mountains like the Alps.

Over time, erosion by the sea gradually wore away the softer rock, leaving the limestone headland and eventually punching a hole through it to create the iconic arch. UNESCO monitors the condition of Durdle Door and the surrounding beach.

The 120-meter-long strip of land connecting the arch to the chalk cliffs consists of Portland limestone, clay, sand, and other rock types.

Durdle Door’s name is ancient, likely over 1,000 years old. The word “Durdle” comes from the Old English thirl, meaning “to pierce or drill a hole,” reflecting the arch’s shape. The word “Door” refers to the arch’s shape, and in the late 1800s, some called it the “Barn-door” due to its size—large enough for a sailing boat to pass through.