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Originally a rough roadway through the cliffs to the beach known as Cart Gap, the Gangway was constructed in concrete in 1898 by Steward & Patteson brewery, the owners of the Ship Hotel.

Having made the energetic walk, visitors were greeted by a café and a secluded beach. At the far end is a farm whose land was once owned by Welsh princes and Norman kings.

The sea wall had not been built either, and the promenade is bordered by cobbles sloping to the beach, with wooden piles providing some protection against the breaking waves.

Chalets and beach huts were crammed into every available space at this time to fulfil the demand for them. Some were privately owned, and others rented out to holidaymakers.

In the background are the buildings of the Preston Railway 'stop off' for visitors to the beach.

The sea wall was constructed in 1835 and the shingle beach can be clearly seen. Overlooking the sea are some fine old cottages, exuberant in design and with bulging thatch.

This sandy beach was obviously popular with both children and adults. A Punch and Judy show always drew the crowds (centre), and many visitors enjoyed a trip on one of the pleasure boats.

Beach huts line the edge of the green. The small shop on the right still opens to serve summer visitors.

The beach is an area of outstanding natural beauty, and the dunes form a National Nature Reserve.

Abbotsbury, situated at the western end of Chesil Beach, is most famous for its swannery, the waters of the Fleet often being turned white with hundreds of birds.

The esplanade Hotel (left) stands on the north side of the Promenade; horse-drawn brakes wait for passengers from either the beach or the hotel, bound for the railway station in the town centre.

Specimens of 'Little Trees', a species of deep water coral so named because of its shape, are sometimes washed up on the beach at Crackington.

The refreshment hut has now been overtaken by a more substantial establishment, which offers outside seating and car parking on the beach.

Two Thames sailing barges discharge cargo at low water on the beach, whilst drawn higher up are some bathing machines.

Disturbed water at the cliff base indicates the power and force of the seas as they surge into the bay and crash against the beach.

The long Asparagus Island on the left can only be reached across the beach at low tide.

Holidaymakers and day trippers have been drawn to the sandy beach at the mouth of the Seaton valley.

One longer tunnel is said to have run down to the beach.

At the moment the tide is in, but later on the beach will be thronged with people.

This is a good view of one of the few places with access to a good beach for many miles of slate coast, although even then the sand is covered at high tide. Gull Rock is offshore.

A path leads from the tiny village across the fields to low cliffs above this quiet beach.

1940s and early 50s caravan and camping sites saw the village embrace the holiday trade with an amusement arcade and new shops like Sea View Café, which were conveniently sited near the beach

Despite that, this is still the preferred beach for locals, and laver seaweed (the edible kind) is harvested here whenever the month has an 'R' in it.

Fishermen also benefited from this extra demand for entertainment, as they were still able to supplement their income by offering pleasure boat trips from the beach.