St Aldhelm's Head
The Norman St. Aldhelm's Chapel, dedicated to St Aldhelm, Bishop of Sherborne stands on the head. On the bluff of the headland is a monument to the development of radar during World War II, by the Telecommunications Research Establishment at nearby RAF Worth Matravers. There is also a coastguard station, now maintained by the National Coastwatch Institution (not to be confused with HM Coastguard) and some former coastguard cottages.
The western side of St Alban's Head contains a Royal Marines Memorial. The memorial is set with a small memorial garden which overlooks Chapman's Pool.
St Alban's Head has been heavily quarried and there is a defunct sea-cliff quarry underneath the coastguard station. St Aldhelms Quarry just inland is still in active use.
LB&SCR H2 class 4-4-2 no. 426 (later no. B426, 2426, and 32426) was named St. Alban's Head after this landmark.
References
- ^ "Purbeck Radar". Purbeck Radar Museum Trust. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
- ^ "St Alban's Head - Queens Award for Voluntary Service". National Coastwatch. 2012. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
- ^ "Royal Marines Association Memorial, Dorset Branch". War Memorials Trust. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
- ^ "Quarry History". Haysom Purbeck Stone. Retrieved 1 January 2021.