Jurassic Coast: field systems and carrots

A break in the cloud cover

This view was taken looking southwards from the Square and Compass Inn in Worth Matravers.

The hill to the left is East Man, the hill to the right (partially concealed by the buildings) is West Man. Clearly visible on the upper parts of both hills are the vestiges of ancient field systems: these - mainly contour strip lynchets - were created during the middle ages.


In more recent times, Worth provided a major contribution to the development of radar systems during World War II. Research on radar systems had started in 1935. In May 1940 a radar station was erected near the village, and 2,000 personnel came to work here.

This nature of the work was kept secret: to explain British pilots' success in intercepting German bombing missions, which were usually made at night, the story was spread that the fighter pilots' night vision was greatly improved by eating carrots. (This belief persists even today - a simple but very effective ruse.)