Beside the Seaside

Britain's climate and coastline are partly created by the sea. The Atlantic Ocean continually shapes the South West peninsula, a diverse coastline consisting of dramatic headlands and contrasting lowlands. Pockets of tough granite offer most resistance to the elements. Marine deposits from the Devonian period (some 400 million years ago) have been found inland, indicating that the area was once covered by ocean. In the medieval era, 'ship money' was levied by the English Crown on coastal regions to maintain the Navy during war time. Its revival and enforcement as a general nationwide tax by King Charles I in 1634 resulted in widespread opposition and was a contributing factor to the outbreak of the English Civil War.