EnlargeAn illustration of a landslide that occured in Lyme on Christmas Day 1839. Over eight million tons of land were dislodged, creating an enormous chasm with cliff-like walls over 150 feet high. Mysteriously, the corn that had previously grown on much of the land continued to grow in the gulf left by the landslide. The spectacle became a huge hit with tourists who came to stare in wonder at the landscape. As a result, locals sold framed ears of corn as souvenirs, and entertained visitors with brassbands.
About Some Account of Lyme Regis
This guidebook to Lyme includes an eclectic mixture of facts: ghost stories, local legends, celebrated historians, the origins of street names. By the late 19th century Lyme was a famous tourist destination, and this book shows that there was already an interest in the town's growing catalogue of interesting personalities and anecdotes. By this time the town's recent history was of as much interest to tourists as its geology.
