Atherfield is a rural location in the south west of the

Isle of Wight The Isle of Wight ( ) is a county in the English Channel, off the coast of Hampshire, from which it is separated by the Solent. It is the largest and second-most populous island of England. Referred to as 'The Island' by residents, the Isle of ...

, UK. It includes the small settlements of Atherfield Green and

Little Atherfield Little Atherfield is a small settlement on the Isle of Wight. It is near the coast in the Back of the Wight. The Isle of Wight is situated off the south coast of England. According to the Post Office the 2011 Census population of the village was ...

, as well as several farms, and is set in largely open farmland. To the south west it is bounded by the cliffs of Chale Bay and Brighstone Bay, which are divided by Atherfield Point. The south-eastern part of Brighstone Bay is also sometimes known as Atherfield Bay, and was the site of a former holiday camp, now demolished.

Geology

Atherfield Bay is one of the best sources of Cretaceous fossils, and is one of the places that gives the Wight the nickname "Dinosaur Isle" (see

Dinosaurs of the Isle of Wight The Isle of Wight is one of the richest dinosaur localities in Europe, with over 20 species of dinosaur having been recognised from the early Cretaceous Period (in particular between 132 and 110 million years ago), some of which were first identifi ...

). The unique land formation on this coast means fossils up to 30 million years old are uncovered. The bay also marks the landward edge of the Atherfield Ledge, an underwater outcrop that has claimed many ships including the SS Eider and more.

References

{{coord, 50.619, N, 1.352, W, region:GB-IOW, display=title Populated places on the Isle of Wight