Please read the copyright and disclaimer before you download any data.
You will also need a username and password to access the data directory.
To obtain a password, please email your name, organisation, preferred email address and research interests to the BAR webmaster : M.A.Wingfield@sussex.ac.uk
A password will be issued to you by email.
From this page
you can download data produced by the BAR project. Please select
whether you are interested in primary data to be imported into a GIS or in data and information that can be used without a GIS. There is also a special section on wave data.
GIS data
Historic mapsHistoric maps comprise georeferenced map sheets as used in publications number 1, 2 and 3. Each zip file includes the tiff/jpeg file of the map, the world file and a report file that contains information on the georeferencing processes using Image Warp in ArcView 3.2a. Each map file is ~8-10mb in size. Details about the georeferencing process can be found here.
Clicking on an entry in the list below will take you to a new page showing thumbnails of the maps. Clicking on the thumbnails will then download the map.
First Edition 1:10,560 (1870s) covering the whole coast between Brigthon and Margate
Second Revision 1:10,560 (~1910) covering the coast between Brigthon and Beachy Head
Third Revision 1:10,560 (1920) covering the coast between Brigthon and Beachy Head
Line and point data
Line data has been digitised from historic maps using ArcView 3.2a. Line data contained in the zip file are ArcView shape files. Each file covers the whole area between Brighton and Margate. Every zip file includes several line files plus one text file that describes the feature codes used for the additional data such as whether the low water line runs over the rock platform or the sandy intertidal. As discussion about the reliability of the low water lines shown on maps can be found in reference 4. Details about the digitisation and other information contained in the shape file can be found here (not yet working).
1870s lines from 1st Editions Ordnance Survey 6-inch map including cliff top, high water, beach toe and low water lines between Brighton and Reculver.
1899 lines from 1st Revision Ordnance Survey 6-inch map including cliff top for Sussex and low water line in front of the Sussex and Kent Chalk cliffs.
1910s lines from 2nd Revision Ordnance Survey 6-inch map including cliff top, high water and low water lines of the Sussex Chalk cliffs.
1920s lines from 3rd Revision Ordnance Survey 6-inch map including cliff top, high water and low water lines of the Sussex Chalk cliffs.
1973 cliff top line between Brigthon and Beach Head. The cliff top line has been digitised from stereo airphotographs taken on 3rd July 1973.
2001 lines (cliff top, beach toe and cliff toe) were digitised from orthophotos taken in 2001 (available through the Channel Coastal Observatory).
2001 inventory of sea defences including groynes and seawalls. Feature data includes the type of construction material and the state of repair of groynes. Location and feature details were digitised and interpreted from orthophotos taken in 2001 (available through the Channel Coastal Observatory).
2001 inventory of the geomorphology and sedimentology of the backshore, beach and foreshore area. Three files display schematically the type of geomorphology and sedimentology found in theses three zones. Interpretation based on orthophotos taken in 2001 (available through the Channel Coastal Observatory).
2004 inventory of beach material properties. The file contains grains size data for 109 samples across 39 profiles between Brighton and Margate. An analysis of the data can be found in the BAR phase 1 report Beach material properties. The original sieving data for the samples can be found here.
Coastal Database
The zip file below contains the data for each 50m segment between Brighton and Margate in an ArcView shape file format (the d-base file can be opened in a spreadsheet). Data was generated from the comparison of the lines (see above) plus additional data such as cliff height, type of the foreshore etc. For a detailed descriptions please donwload the description.
50-metre segment data base
Topographic survey data
Topographic survey data is available in two formats.
Original point data: Each zip file includes tab-delimited text files for each survey carried out on that beach. Data includes for each point the x, y and z position, the grain size, information about the positional accuracy and additional features surveyed that are not part of the beach surface. The file name includes the survey date in the format location-yyyy-mm-dd. Included is also an additional text file providing details on each survey such as the location of temporary bench marks, the person that has carried out the survey and other information.
Details about the survey methodology can be found in the Phase 1 reports Changes in beach topography and Changes in beach surface sediment composition.
Interpolated surfaces: Each zip file contains the asci-grid files (created using ArcView 3.2a) of the interpolated surfaces derived after editing the original point file data. For details on the surface generation please click here. The grids only include beach topography.
Saltdean (25 surveys between June 2003 and August 2006) points, grids.
Telscombe (37 surveys between July 2003 and April 2006) points.
Newhaven (32 surveys between July 2003 and December 2006) points.
Cuckmere Haven (40 surveys between September 2003 and December 2006) points.
Non-GIS data
Historic maps and cliff line positionsHistoric maps can be downloaded from the GIS data section by following the links to maps from different periods. Each zip file contains 3 files of which the jpg or tif file contains the map; the other two files can be ignored.
Coastal Database
The zip file below contains the data for each 50m segment between Brighton and Margate in several different formats (tab delimted text file, dBase 4 file, Excel 2000 file). Data was generated from the comparison of the lines (see above) plus additional data such as cliff height, type of the foreshore etc. For a detailed description of the data in each column please click here.
50-metre segment data base
Coastal Images
During the start of the project a number of photographs have been taken by Uwe Dornbusch that provide an impression of the coastline of Kent and France. They can be accessed from the following link (these page may not work with all web-browsers).
Wave data
Wave data has been collected through BAR instruments and free download from websites. BAR has deployed two DOBIE non-directional wave gauges in a range of locations in the intertidal for different periods of times. Details about the locations, times of operation and data format can be found here.Since 2006 a directional MIDAS wave recorder has been deployed on the intertidal foreshore at in several locations. Details about the locations, times of operation and data format can be found here.
In addition, data has been downloaded on a daily basis for several years for the Greenwich Light Ship from the US National Data Buoy Center. Small gaps in the data download have been interpolated manually. The data is available on a yearly basis as a tab-delimited text file. For the data description and other details please see the source website.
DOBIE
Details about the locations, times of operation and data format can be found here. Please read before downloading the data below.
Telscombe (September 2003 - March 2006), 52mb
Cooden Bay (January 2004 - May 2006), 28mb
Cuckmere Haven (April 2006 - November 2006), 43mb
MIDAS
Data from the MIDAS (except for the data downloadable below) is currently used in an ongoing PhD were it has been deployed at Birling Gap and Pevensey Bay. Please contact the BAR project to enquire about access to this data.
Telscombe (20-01-2006 to 08-03-2006)
Greenwich Light Ship
2005, 2006
References
1. Dornbusch, U., D. Robinson, C. Moses and R. B. G. Williams (2006). Chalk coast erosion and its contribution to the shingle budget in East Sussex. Zeitschrift für Geomorphologie, Supplement Volume 144: 215-230, journal link, abstract2. Dornbusch, U., D. Robinson, C. Moses, R. B. G. Williams and S. Costa (2006). Retreat of Chalk cliffs in the eastern English Channel during the last century. Journal of Maps, 2006: 71-78
3. Dornbusch, U., C. Moses, D. Robinson and R. Williams (submitted). Spatio-temporal variations of the chalk cliff retreat rate in East Sussex, 1873 to 2001. Marine Geology
4. Dornbusch, U., R. B. G. Williams, C. Moses and D. A. Robinson (submitted). Intertidal shortening along the coast of Southeast England, UK - a re-evaluation. Journal of Coastal Research