Not quarried in Purbeck on such a scale as ball clay, chalk was gathered from the ridge of hills  which run from the coast at Swanage, through to Weymouth. 

Chalk is an excellent material for hardcore and light road building and was used for Clay mining access roads. 

In earlier times chalk was burned in kilns to produce lime for mortar and soil conditioning. The remains of a kiln can still be seen on the hillside at Church Knowle.