Portland Bill

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Portland Bill
Portland Bill, Isle of Portland, Dorset.jpg
from the south
Portland Bill - geograph.org.uk - 1312263.jpg
from the north

Portland Bill is a narrow promontory (or bill) at the southern end of the Isle of Portland, and the southernmost point of Dorset, England. One of Portland's most popular destinations is Portland Bill Lighthouse. Portland's coast has been notorious for the number of shipwrecked vessels over the centuries. The dangerous coastline features shallow reefs and the Shambles sandbank, made more hazardous due to the strong Portland tidal race. [1]

Contents

The Bill is an important way-point for coastal traffic, and three lighthouses have been built to protect shipping. The original two worked as a pair from 1716, and they were replaced in 1906 by the current one. [1]

History

Portland Bill Lighthouse Portland Bill Lighthouse 2.jpg
Portland Bill Lighthouse
Piles of stone at Portland Bill from quarrying in the area Portland Stone.JPG
Piles of stone at Portland Bill from quarrying in the area

From Roman times, beacon fires were lit to warn ships of the danger of the Bill. [2] [3] A petition to Trinity House was put forward for a lighthouse in the early 18th century, but Trinity House opposed it. They later conceded that a lighthouse was needed and George I granted the patent on 26 May 1716. [2] [1] [3] Trinity House issued a lease to William Barrett and Francis Browne to build and maintain one or more lighthouses. [4]

One lighthouse was built at Branscombe Hill, while the other was situated on lower land nearer the coast. [2] [3] The two lighthouses were lit for the first time on 29 September 1716. The lights were poorly maintained, and Trinity House terminated the lease after an inspection in 1752. [2] [1] [5] In 1789, the Old Lower Lighthouse was demolished and rebuilt. In 1844, Trinity House erected a stone obelisk at the southern tip of the Bill as a daymark, and the first lightship was placed at the Shambles sandbank in 1859. [2] [6] In 1869, Trinity House had both lighthouses rebuilt. [1] [5]

Pulpit Rock is an artificial stack of rock that was formed in the 1870s by quarrying operations at the Bill. [2] [7] At the turn of the 20th-century, Trinity House put forward plans for a new lighthouse [5] [1] which was completed in 1905 and first shone on 11 January 1906. [3] The original two lighthouses were decommissioned and sold. [3] [8] The Old Lower Lighthouse later became a bird observatory in 1961. [9] The Old Higher Lighthouse was owned by Marie Stopes from 1923 to 1958 and is now a holiday let. [10] A proper road to Portland Bill was laid in 1922 and this helped the Bill become a tourist destination. [2] [11]

A coastguard lookout at Portland Bill was built in 1934. It closed in the 1990s but was taken over by the National Coastwatch Institution, which rebuilt the station in the 21st century. [12] During the 1960s, the Ministry of Defence Magnetic Range was built at the Bill. Farther up the hill at Branscombe was a Royal Navy Wireless telegraphy station which was established in the early 20th century and closed in the 1990s. [13] The Shambles lightship was permanently withdrawn in 1976 and replaced by automatic buoys. [14] The current lighthouse was unmanned in 1996 and all monitoring and control transferred to the Trinity House Operations & Planning Centre in Harwich. The lighthouse has a visitor centre, while tours are conducted to take visitors to the top of the lighthouse. [15]

LB&SCR H1 class 4-4-2 no. 38 (later no. B38, 2038, and 32038) was named Portland Bill after this landmark.

Features

The lighthouses, Pulpit Rock and the Trinity House Obelisk are Portland Bill's key attractions. Close to the Ministry of Defence range at the Bill is Portland's main Raised Beach, [16] and close to the Old Higher Lighthouse is NCI Portland Bill, a National Coastwatch Institution lookout station.

A fishing crane, known as Red Crane, is situated on the cliff edge at Portland Bill. [17] The area holds many beach huts. [18] There are a few commercial businesses in the area, including a restaurant - The Lobster Pot - and a pub - The Pulpit Inn. [16]

Portland Bill has a number of listed buildings. The current lighthouse, along with its boundary walls, is Grade II Listed. [19] The Old Lower Lighthouse, including its boundary walls and coastguard house, is also Grade II Listed, [20] as is the Old Higher Lighthouse, its four cottages and boundary walls. [21] A 19th-century Fisherman's hut is Grade II Listed, [22] while Red Crane, part of a disused stone loading quay, which is protected as a scheduled monument. [23]

The surrounding fields between the Bill and Southwell are made up of an ancient strip field system, once found all over the island, dating from Anglo-Saxon times. [2] The nearby Culverwell Mesolithic Site is a Mesolithic settlement, located along the Portland Bill Road. The site is said to be circa 7500–8500 years old and has also become a scheduled monument. This includes surrounding fields, also relating to the Mesolithic period, and these fields lead across to the coastline. [24] [25]

See also

Related Research Articles

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Easton is a village on the Isle of Portland in Dorset, England. The village is situated at Tophill, within the centre of the island. As with the rest of Portland's villages and settlements, Easton, including the settlements Reforne and Straits, has been designated as a conservation area, as it is a place of special architectural and historic interest. Easton, Wakeham and Reforne were designated pre-1974.

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

Wakeham is a hamlet near the village of Easton, in Tophill on the Isle of Portland in Dorset, England. It is situated between the Straits part of Easton, and Pennsylvania Castle. As with the rest of Portland's villages and settlements, Wakeham has been designated as a conservation area, as it is a place of special architectural and historic interest. Easton, Wakeham and Reforne were designated pre-1974. The hamlet features a distinctively wide road running through it, once built to allow space for horse-drawn carts transporting stone by road. Many of Wakeham's older buildings of the 17th and 18th century survive.

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">Castletown, Dorset</span> Village in Dorset, England

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.

<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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Church Ope Cove</span>

Church Ope Cove is a small secluded beach on the sheltered eastern side of the Isle of Portland in Dorset, southern England, and is part of the Jurassic Coast. It is found close to the village of Wakeham. The beach has many unusual features for the Isle of Portland. The beach used to be sandy, but quarry debris now covers the sand, and has been worn into rounded pebbles. The pebbles cover a small stream which runs to the sea, which is one of the few active streams remaining on the Isle of Portland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Portland Bill Lighthouse</span> Lighthouse on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, England

Portland Bill Lighthouse is a functioning lighthouse at Portland Bill, on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, England. The lighthouse and its boundary walls are Grade II Listed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rufus Castle</span> Grade I listed castle in Dorset, England

Rufus Castle, also known as Bow and Arrow Castle, is a partially ruined castle overlooking Church Ope Cove on Portland, England. Its name derives from King William II, known as William Rufus, for whom the original castle was built.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pennsylvania Castle</span> English country house in Dorset, England

Pennsylvania Castle is a Gothic Revival mansion on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, England. It is located in Wakeham and overlooks Church Ope Cove. The castle is Grade II Listed, as is the adjacent gatehouse and lodges, which are now in separate ownership.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Grove, Portland</span> Human settlement in England

The Grove is a small village located at Tophill on the Isle of Portland in Dorset. The village is found close to the larger village Easton, and is most notable for containing the HM Prison Portland, including its museum Grove Prison Museum. As with the rest of Portland's villages and settlements, The Grove has been designated as a conservation area, as it is a place of special architectural and historic interest. The village was designated in 1981.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old Higher Lighthouse</span> Lighthouse

The Old Higher Lighthouse is a disused 19th century lighthouse on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, southern England. It is located at Branscombe Hill on the west side of Portland, overlooking Portland Bill. The lighthouse is Grade II Listed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old Lower Lighthouse</span> Lighthouse

The Old Lower Lighthouse is a disused 19th century lighthouse on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, southern England. It is located along the eastern side of Portland Bill. The lighthouse, including its boundary walls and coastguard house, became Grade II Listed in September 1978.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trinity House Obelisk</span> Daymark at Portland Bill, UK

The Trinity House Obelisk, also known as the Trinity House Landmark, is a 19th-century obelisk located at Portland Bill, on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, England. Built as a daymark, it has been Grade II Listed since 1978.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Old Engine Shed, Portland</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avalanche Memorial Church</span> Church in Dorset, England

The Avalanche Memorial Church, also known as the Church of St Andrew, is a Church of England church in Southwell, on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, England. It was built in 1879 and remains active as part of the Portland Parish. The church, along with its boundary wall, has been a Grade II Listed building since September 1978.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Culverwell Mesolithic Site</span> Mesolithic settlement in England

Culverwell Mesolithic Site is a Mesolithic settlement, located on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, England. It is found in the local area known as Culverwell, along the Portland Bill Road. It is within an area of unspoiled countryside, with no past quarrying. The site is maintained by the Association for Portland Archaeology – a small group dedicated to researching, investigating and excavating on Portland.

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

NCI Portland Bill is a National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) lookout station on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, England. The station is situated 50 metres above sea level on the cliff edge, half a mile north of the tip of Portland Bill. It is located close to the Old Higher Lighthouse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red Crane, Portland</span>

Red Crane is a crane on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, England. It is located on the cliff edge at Portland's southerly point, the promontory Portland Bill. It is part of a disused stone loading quay, which is now a scheduled monument.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grove Lime Kiln</span> Historical industrial site in Dorset, England

Grove Lime Kiln is a disused 19th century lime kiln on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, England. It is located close to HM Prison Portland and The Grove village. Owned by the prison service, the lime kiln has been Grade II Listed since 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Victoria Square, Portland</span>

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Portland Bill Lighthouse". Trinity House. 18 March 1996. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Morris, Stuart (2016). Portland: an Illustrated History (revised and updated colour ed.). Wimborne Minster, Dorset: the Dovecote Press. ISBN   9780995546202. OCLC   985760298.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Portland – Three Lighthouses Walk". dorsetlife.co.uk. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  4. ↑ Legg, Rodney (1999). Portland Encyclopaedia. Dorset Publishing Company. p. 68. ISBN   978-0948699566.
  5. 1 2 3 "Portland Year Book". ancestry.com. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  6. ↑ "Portland Year Book". ancestry.com. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  7. ↑ "Portland Bill". www.geoffkirby.co.uk. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
  8. ↑ Mackenzie, Roy (1999). Portland: A Topographical and Historical Gazetteer. p. 23.
  9. ↑ Keith Pritchard. "Portland Bird Observatory - index". Portlandbirdobs.org.uk. Archived from the original on 30 November 2012. Retrieved 24 November 2012.
  10. ↑ "History of the Old Higher Lighthouse - Old Higher Lighthouse, Portland Bill, Dorset". www.oldhigherlighthouse.com. Archived from the original on 14 May 2008. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
  11. ↑ Morris, Stuart (1985). Portland: An Illustrated History. Dovecote Press. p. 121. ISBN   978-0946159345.
  12. ↑ "Geograph:: Coastguard station, Portland Bill (C) Hugh Venables". www.geograph.org.uk. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
  13. ↑ "g4usb Resources and Information". G4usb.net. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  14. ↑ "Portland Churches, Buildings and Views". www.pbenyon.plus.com. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
  15. ↑ "Portland Bill Lighthouse". TrinityHouse.co.uk. Archived from the original on 27 June 2015. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  16. 1 2 "North of Portland Bill, Portland, Dorset". Geoffkirby.co.uk. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
  17. ↑ "Portland Bill". Geoffkirby.co.uk. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  18. ↑ "Lower Lighthouse, Portland, Dorset". Geoffkirby.co.uk. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
  19. ↑ Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1280498)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  20. ↑ Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1280466)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  21. ↑ Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1203104)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  22. ↑ Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1280495)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  23. ↑ Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1002388)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  24. ↑ Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1002406)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  25. ↑ Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1002729)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 26 June 2014.

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