Castletown, Dorset

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Castletown
Dorset UK location map.svg
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Castletown
Location within Dorset
Civil parish
  • Portland
Unitary authority
Shire county
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town Portland
Postcode district DT5
Dialling code 01305
Police Dorset
Fire Dorset and Wiltshire
Ambulance South Western
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Dorset
50°34′05″N2°26′39″W / 50.56815°N 2.444077°W / 50.56815; -2.444077
Castletown and Portland Harbour, seen from The Verne. The National Sailing Academy and Portland Castle are on the left. The large buildings in the foreground are former naval buildings, now converted into luxury flats. Uk dor portharbour.JPG
Castletown and Portland Harbour, seen from The Verne. The National Sailing Academy and Portland Castle are on the left. The large buildings in the foreground are former naval buildings, now converted into luxury flats.
Portland Castle entrance. Uk dor portcastle.JPG
Portland Castle entrance.

Castletown is a small village in Underhill on the Isle of Portland in Dorset. It is located close to Fortuneswell, on the shores of Portland Harbour, and includes a sandy beach, as well as one of Portland's notable highlights; Portland Castle, while the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy is also located nearby.

Contents

As with the rest of Portland's villages and settlements, Castletown has been designated as a conservation area, as it is a place of special architectural and historic interest. Underhill, incorporating Castletown and other settlements became designated in 1976 with boundary extensions in 1997 and 2000. [1] [2]

History

Originally the location for fishermen to launch their boats, Castletown later developed during the 19th century with the construction of Portland Harbour's breakwaters, and the establishment of the naval base. [1] [3] During the 16th century, Henry VII had selected Castletown area for the building of Portland Castle. [4] Castletown was an essential part of the Merchant's Railway, which was operational from 1826 to 1939. At a time when stone was transported by sea, the railway brought stone from the quarries at Tophill to Castletown's pier for shipping. [5] [6]

During the early 19th century, Castletown was still only a small settlement, with few residential properties. [1] By the middle of the century, Castletown's character changed. [1] A one-sided terrace was formed by 1864, and a number of businesses and residential properties established. [1] Due to it being the gateway to the naval base, Castletown became a thriving commercial area. [7] In 1944 Portland's harbour was commissioned as USNAAB Portland-Weymouth, becoming a major embarkation point for American troops during D-Day. Castletown saw many soldiers and vehicles pass through. [8]

In the early 1990s, as part of defence spending cuts, it was announced that naval base was to close. It was forecast that the Royal Navy's departure would bring economical disaster to Castletown. [3] The navy left in 1995, and Castletown lost the majority of its income, leading to the gradual loss of a number of businesses. [9]

In October 2014 Nemesis Properties applied for planning permission to redevelop Castletown Pier, [10] and work began during 2015 on transforming the pier into "Crabbers Wharf". In June 2015 further development plans were revealed for the regeneration of Castletown, including a "scuba diving tourist facility, an American themed D-Day attraction and museum." It was also suggested that talks with Portland Port may allow Portland's two Mulberry Harbour Phoenix Units to be opened to the public. [11]

Features

A small beach is found in the village, close to the entrance of Portland Port. The area still features several hotels and pubs, largely established for the navy personnel that once came from the port. The Osprey Leisure Centre is located in Castletown, which was formerly known as the Boscawen Centre, and was opened to the public in May 2007. [12] Originally it was a private Royal Navy facility during the 1980s. [13]

Castletown also holds the Portland Community Hospital. This was originally a Royal Naval Hospital which served Portland's naval base from the late 19th century until 1957, when the hospital was handed over to the NHS. Castletown's Stone Pier, where stone was once shipped, is now mainly used for boat maintenance. [3]

To the southern side of the main road of Castletown two large multi-story accommodation buildings sit set into the steeply rising hillside. These blocks were known as the "Hardy Complex" with their construction allegedly costing between £25-30 million and were built during the late 1980s and early 1990s as state-of-the-art accommodation for Royal Navy personnel, but were abandoned less than 15 years later when the Navy left the island. [14] They were later sold by the MoD to a private developer/construction company, and then subsequently sold on again. Eventually they were acquired by development company Comer Homes, who secured planning consent to convert and refurbish the two buildings to provide a total of 554 1, 2, and 3 bedroom apartments and penthouses. During 2004-05 both blocks were stripped back to just their re-enforced concrete frames and left as empty shells. Re-construction work began on the right hand block, (subsequently named Ocean Views) in 2007 and the external works were largely completed by June 2008. [15] Many of the completed apartments were rented as accommodation for visiting foreign sailing teams for their training, preparation and living quarters for the sailing events of the 2012 Olympics, which took place in Portland Harbour. Today the left block still remains derelict awaiting construction works to restart. [16]

Castletown D-Day Centre in the Admiralty Buildings in 2019. Admiralty Buildings Castletown 2019 IMG 9155.jpg
Castletown D-Day Centre in the Admiralty Buildings in 2019.

Castletown D-Day Centre, situated in the old Admiralty Buildings on the dockside, explains the area's role as an embarkation point for the Normandy Lamdings through a collection of wartime artefacts. [17]

Grade listed features

Castletown has a wide array of architecture and buildings, a number of which are Grade Listed.

Portland Castle has been designated as a Grade I Listed building. It is one of three buildings on Portland to be Grade I Listed. [18] Additionally, in October 1981, the castle had become scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. [19] The Captain's House, a large detached house, adjoining Portland Castle, is designated a Grade II* Listed building. [20] The gateway and curtain wall to the south east of the house became Grade II* Listed at the same time. [21] Located around 23 metres (75 ft) south of the entrance to The Captain's House is a War Department/Admiralty boundary marker, which has been Grade II Listed since May 1993. [22]

The Royal Breakwater Hotel was designated Grade II in May 1993. [23] [24] At the end of the village, at the entrance of Portland Port, is the former Dockyard Police Station. The MOD police station was initially a railway station, and is Grade II Listed. [25] [26]

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Portland Harbour is beside the Isle of Portland, Dorset, on the south coast of England. Construction of the harbour began in 1849; when completed in 1872, its 520-hectare (1,300-acre) surface area made it the largest human-made harbour in the world, and it remains one of the largest in the world today. It is naturally sheltered by Portland to the south, Chesil Beach to the west and mainland Dorset to the north. It consists of four breakwaters: two southern and two northern. These have a total length of 4.57 km (2.84 mi) and enclose approximately 1,000 ha of water.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fortuneswell</span> Human settlement in England

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Easton, Dorset</span> Human settlement in England

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Weston is a village in Tophill on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, England. It abuts the main village Easton. As with the rest of Portland's villages and settlements, Weston has been designated as a conservation area, as it is a place of special architectural and historic interest. The village was designated in 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southwell, Dorset</span> Human settlement in England

Southwell is a small coastal village in Tophill on the Isle of Portland, Dorset. As Portland and Dorset's southernmost village, it lies between Portland Bill and the villages of Easton and Weston. Though close to the Bill, the village is sheltered by hills on three sides. It is the only village on Portland not to be designated a conservation area.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Portland Cenotaph</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Merchant's Railway</span> Former railway in Dorset, England

Merchant's Railway was a horse drawn and cable operated incline railway on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, England, built for the stone trade on the island. It was the earliest railway in Dorset, opening in 1826. The railway ran two miles from many working quarries at the north of Tophill, along the edge of Verne Hill, to a pier at Castletown, from where the Portland stone was shipped. It was in operation from 1826 to 1939. Since becoming disused the original path of the railway has become a popular public footpath.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 December 2014. Retrieved 7 December 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. ↑ "Appraisal of the Conservation Areas of Portland - dorsetforyou.com". Archived from the original on 9 July 2015. Retrieved 7 December 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 "Castletown". Geoffkirby.co.uk. 15 April 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  4. ↑ Historic England. "Monument No. 451663". Research records (formerly PastScape). Retrieved 4 October 2015.
  5. ↑ "Portland Station (1st site)". Disused Stations. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  6. ↑ "Portlandbill.co.uk". Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  7. ↑ "Victorian Castletown, Portland…matelots, mariners and mishaps. | VICTORIAN TALES FROM WEYMOUTH AND PORTLAND". Susanhogben.wordpress.com. 22 May 2015. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  8. ↑ Morris, Stuart. "History". Portland-port.co.uk. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  9. ↑ "Brochure" (PDF). www.underwaterexplorers.co.uk. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 July 2012. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
  10. ↑ "Plans to regenerate Castletown Pier backed". Dorset Echo. 28 November 2014. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  11. ↑ "REVEALED: New regeneration plans to bring Castletown 'up off its knees'". Dorset Echo. 26 June 2015. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  12. ↑ "Osprey Leisure Centre - South Dorset Community Sports Trust". Ospreyleisure.co.uk. 1 May 2007. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
  13. ↑ "Osprey Leisure Centre | SDRN". Sd-research.org.uk. 25 June 2013. Archived from the original on 21 July 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  14. ↑ "UK | England | Protest march over asylum plans". BBC News. 1 February 2003. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  15. ↑ "Portland Castle". Geoffkirby.co.uk. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
  16. ↑ Irving, Lee (18 August 2014). "Fresh move to restart island scheme - but affordable homes could be dropped (From Dorset Echo)". Dorsetecho.co.uk. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  17. ↑ "Castletown D-Day Centre". portlandtowncouncil.gov.uk. Portland, Dorset: Portland Town Council. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
  18. ↑ Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1205262)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  19. ↑ Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1015326)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  20. ↑ Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1280817)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  21. ↑ Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1205280)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  22. ↑ Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1281849)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  23. ↑ Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1205310)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  24. ↑ "Portland Dorset". Royal Breakwater Hotel. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  25. ↑ Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1203074)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  26. ↑ Historic England. "PORTLAND STATION (501751)". Research records (formerly PastScape). Retrieved 26 August 2014.
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