Winspit Quarry | Worth Matravers | Dorset | BH19 3LW
Winspit Quarry is an old disused quarry on the coastal cliffs near Worth Matravers. The stone from this quarry was highly prized and used in various prestigious buildings in London. Some of the caverns are still open to the public but many have been closed for safety and conservation reasons.
In the eighteenth century there were more than two hundred quarries in Swanage, Langton Matravers and Worth Matravers, which provided building materials for many of the major buildings in London. Stone was quarried from the cliff face and mined using caves and tunnels.
Winspit was used as a stone quarry until 1940, when it was turned into a World War Two naval and air base. After the war the privately-owned caves were opened to the public, although some have since been closed due to safety issues and in order to protect the Mouse-eared and Greater horsehoe bat populations.
Despite formal restrictions, Winspit Quarry is popular with climbers. There are numerous different facing walls interspersed with caves to explore. Fantastic views and a beach that's good for swimming make Winspit Quarry a popular place for tourists.