Like its namesake on the Isle of Wight, this feature arose as a result of landslips, where a slump of harder strata over softer clay gave rise to irregular landscapes of peaks, gullies and slipped blocks.

Because of the resulting difficulty of access and change of land use, the undercliff has become densely vegetated, and has become a rare and unusual habitat for plants and birds.

[1] From west to east, the undercliff forms part of the civil parishes of Axmouth, Combpyne Rousdon and Uplyme, all in the county of Devon.

[3] A large tract of land below Bindon Manor and Dowlands Farm slipped, creating the features now called Goat Island and the Chasm.

[4][5] The undercliff was formerly open rough pasture, grazed by sheep and rabbits, including features such as Donkey Green (an area of turf used for picnics and sports), Landslip Cottage (which used to sell teas to visitors),[6] and Chapel Rock (where, according to tradition, Tudor religious dissenters met).