Ballard Down facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ballard Down
The obelisk at Ballard Down
Highest point
Elevation	162 m (531 ft)
Prominence	c. 65 m
Listing	(none)
Geography
Ballard Down Location in Dorset
Location	Purbeck Hills, England
OS grid	SZ025812
Topo map	OS Landranger 195

Ballard Down is a beautiful area of rolling hills in Dorset, a county in England. These hills are made of chalk, a type of soft, white rock.

Ballard Down is part of the Purbeck Hills. It stretches all the way to the English Channel, which is the sea between England and France. Here, the hills form a point called Ballard Point. This point sits between two bays: Studland Bay to the north and Swanage Bay to the south.

The chalk hills here are part of a bigger system of chalk downlands across southern England. Long ago, these hills were connected in a continuous ridge. This ridge stretched from what is now western Dorset all the way to the Isle of Wight. You can still see parts of this old ridge today. For example, Old Harry Rocks are just off the coast from Ballard Down. And The Needles are at the western end of the Isle of Wight. Both are remnants of this ancient chalk ridge.

The southern side of Ballard Down, which faces Swanage, is quite steep. This steep part meets the sea and is known as Ballard Cliff.

A Changing Landscape

For about 1,000 years, Ballard Down was covered in a special type of grass called calcareous grassland. This grass grows well on chalky soil.

However, during World War II, there was a big need for more land to grow food. So, parts of Ballard Down were turned into arable land, meaning land used for farming crops.

Today, the National Trust owns Ballard Down. This organization works to protect important places in England. They have largely returned the land to its natural grassland state.

To keep the grassland healthy, the National Trust allows animals to graze (eat grass) on the down. This helps stop the area from becoming a woodland filled with beech trees. If left alone, the area would naturally turn into a forest, which is called a climax community.

The Obelisk

There is a tall stone monument called an obelisk on Ballard Down. This obelisk was put there in 1883. It celebrates a new way of getting drinking water for the nearby town of Swanage.

During World War II, the obelisk was taken down in 1941. This was because it was a very clear landmark. It could have helped enemy planes find their way. But after the war, in 1952, the obelisk was put back up.

Part of the Jurassic Coast

Ballard Down is the most eastern part of the famous Jurassic Coast. This coastline is a World Heritage Site. This means it's a very special place recognized around the world for its unique geology and fossils.

Ballard Down in Movies

Ballard Down has even been used as a filming location! The BBC's TV show of EM Forster's book 'Howards End' (made in 2017) filmed some scenes here.

Images for kids

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  A plaque on the obelisk, related to World War 2.

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  The monument in its original position outside St Mary Woolnoth