The Undercliff lies between the original high cliff and the sea, formed over thousands of years, since the last Ice Age, from accumulated landslips.

In the 1870s the village was described in the Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales as consisting of "ivy mantled thatched cottages, with orchards" with many Juniper trees nearby.

He decried the lack of woodland in the area and employed local men to plant a million trees.

He paid a large part of the money needed to supply St Lawrence and Whitwell with drinking water.

On the other side of the main road is a turning leading to St Lawrence Well, with its ornate Victorian well housing.

The Undercliff Drive, the main road between Ventnor and Niton, was closed beyond St Lawrence in February 2014 by a landslip.

Due to the road closure, St Lawrence is now only served by local bus Number 31, operated by Minibus Plus.com on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.