Victoria Square, Portland

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The roundabout at Victoria Square. Tulip Time at Chiswell - geograph.org.uk - 1276395.jpg
The roundabout at Victoria Square.

Victoria Square is a public square on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, England. Developed in the 19th century, it is situated at the entrance to Portland, close to Chesil Beach, Osprey Quay, and the small fishing village of Chiswell.

Contents

History

The view from Victoria Gardens down to the square. Portland, view down over Chiswell - geograph.org.uk - 1093102.jpg
The view from Victoria Gardens down to the square.

Victoria Square was developed in association with the Portland Branch Railway, which commenced construction in 1860 and opened in 1865. With the Portland station being erected at the entrance to Underhill, Captain Charles Augustus Manning developed the surrounding area into a square at his sole expense, made up of the Royal Victoria Hotel and a terrace opposite. [1] [2] [3]

A range of businesses soon based themselves in the square, including the Portland Gas Works in 1863. [4] A sawmill was erected next to the railway station, by the Portland Stone Company. [5] [3] [6] A public house known as The Terminus Hotel was also built at the square, and later renamed the Little Ship. [7] Portland's first Masonic Hall was erected in 1878 at Victoria Square, [8] [9] and was later replaced with a new hall opposite the original in 1898. [10]

The Little Ship. Portland, the Little Ship - geograph.org.uk - 1093125.jpg
The Little Ship.

The Second World War brought many air raids to Portland due to the important naval base. [11] A minefield was laid near the square, [12] along with a tank trap. [13] When Weymouth and Portland became an embarkation point of Allied Forces for D-Day in 1944, the Royal Victoria Lodge was used as a makeshift hospital. [14] Following the closure of the Portland Gas Works in 1959, the site became a plant hire yard. [15]

Portland's railway operated until it closed to passengers in 1952 and goods in 1965. In 1969, the square's railway station was demolished and replaced by a roundabout. [3] A commemorative stone and plaque was later placed near the square. [16] Despite the construction of Chesil Cove's sea wall in 1958-1965, incidents of widespread flooding still occurred, including in December 1978 and February 1979, when two major storms flooded Chiswell and Victoria Square. Further flood prevention measures were then put in place in the 1980s. [17] [18]

Victoria Square underwent refurbishment in 1995, with a commemorative stone unveiled by the Duke of York the following year. [15] The northern area of the square is occupied by grassland and contains two ornamental pillars of Portland stone. They were unveiled in June 2004 and designed to be used as safe nesting sites for seagulls. [16] Close to the square is the Portland Skate Park, [19] which was established around 2005 at a cost of £20,000. By 2009 it had fallen into disrepair and was replaced with a new £200,000 park, which was officially opened in November 2010, when 150 young people from across Dorset attended the event. [20] [21]

Grade listed buildings

The Royal Victoria Lodge as seen in 2011. Royal Victoria Lodge Portland-Geograph-2843563-by-Chris-Talbot.jpg
The Royal Victoria Lodge as seen in 2011.

The Little Ship, a pub located at Victoria Square, became Grade II Listed in May 1993. The building, externally, is a complete example of a modest classical-style Victorian pub, holding a very important corner to this Square. [22] The Royal Victoria Hotel also became Grade II Listed at the same time. Again it holds an important position on the corner of the Square, complementing The Little Ship opposite. [23]

Related Research Articles

Isle of Portland Human settlement in England

The Isle of Portland is a tied island, 6 kilometres (4 mi) long by 2.7 kilometres (1.7 mi) wide, in the English Channel. The southern tip, Portland Bill lies 8 kilometres (5 mi) south of the resort of Weymouth, forming the southernmost point of the county of Dorset, England. A barrier beach called Chesil Beach joins it to the mainland. The A354 road passes down the Portland end of the beach and then over the Fleet Lagoon by bridge to the mainland. The population of Portland is 12,797.

Chesil Beach Shingle beach in southern England

Chesil Beach in Dorset, England is one of three major shingle beach structures in Britain. Its name is derived from the Old English ceosel or cisel, meaning "gravel" or "shingle". It runs for a length of 29 kilometres (18 mi) from West Bay to the Isle of Portland and in places is up to 15 metres (50 ft) high and 200 metres (660 ft) wide. Behind the beach is the Fleet, a shallow tidal lagoon. Both are part of the Jurassic Coast and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and together form an SSSI and Ramsar Site.

Portland Harbour

Portland Harbour is located 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 man-made harbour in the world, and remains one of the largest in the world today. It is naturally protected 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 and enclose approximately 1,000 hectares of water.

Portland Bill

Portland Bill is a narrow promontory 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.

Fortuneswell Human settlement in England

Fortuneswell is a village in Underhill on the Isle of Portland, in Dorset, England. It lies on steeply sloping land on the northern edge of the island, known as Underhill, where Chesil Beach connects the island to the mainland. Adjoining Fortuneswell are Chiswell to the west and Castletown to the north. Fortuneswell occupies the steeper land above sea level, whereas Chiswell and Castletown occupy flat land close to sea level, next to Chesil Beach and Portland Harbour respectively. Fortuneswell has a main shopping street, and along with Easton, is the main hub of the island's activities.

Weston, Dorset Human settlement in England

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.

Chesil Cove Massive curved slope of shingle, at Chesil Beach in Dorset, England

Chesil Cove is a curved steep bank forming the south-east end of 29-kilometre (18 mi) Chesil Beach in Dorset, England. It is thus part of one of three large shingle structures in Britain, extending from West Bay to the Isle of Portland, the latter acting more firmly as a great barrier (groyne) which stops tidal action from washing the beach away and leads to the high depositions by wind and tide action forming the grand curved bank of this "cove". The "cove", bill and much of Chesil Beach give shelter from the prevailing winds and waves for much of Weymouth Bay, the town of Weymouth and the village of Chiswell. It forms part of the Jurassic Coast.

Southwell, Dorset 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.

Chiswell Human settlement in England

Chiswell, sometimes, is a small village at the southern end of Chesil Beach, in Underhill, on the Isle of Portland in Dorset. It is the oldest settlement on the island, having formerly been known as Chesilton. The small bay at Chiswell is called Chesil Cove, and the beach promenade and sea wall which form Chiswell's coastal defences are a prominent feature.

The Portland Branch railway was a railway line located on the Isle of Portland in the English county of Dorset. The line operated from the late nineteenth century until closing to passengers in 1952 and goods in 1965. For a short line, it had a complex history, built in three separate sections and operated jointly by two rival railway companies. Its construction needed twelve years of blasting through solid rock and three extensions of Parliamentary time.

Pennsylvania Castle

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.

Hallelujah Bay Bay in United Kingdom

Hallelujah Bay is a bay located on the west side of the Isle of Portland, Dorset, England. The bay is situated below West Weares, with Clay Ope, Blacknor Point and Mutton Cove further south. Near the cove is a large mound of rock and earth beneath the clifftops known locally as the Green Hump.

Old Higher 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.

Old Lower 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.

Chiswell Earthworks

Chiswell Earthworks is a land sculpture, located on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, England. It is found above Chesil Beach's most southerly part Chesil Cove, at the end of the promenade sea wall, towards West Weares. It was created by John Maine RA, between 1986 and 1993.

Victoria Gardens, Portland

Victoria Gardens is a public garden, located at Underhill, Isle of Portland, Dorset, England. It is found close to Fortuneswell village and overlooks both Victoria Square and Chiswell. The gardens, which were created to mark the 1897 Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria, have remained a focal point since their opening in 1904.

The Cove House Inn

The Cove House Inn is an 18th-century public house on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, England. It is situated within the village of Chiswell, and alongside Chesil Beach on the esplanade. The Cove House Inn remains one of Portland's most popular pubs, and has been reputed to be one of the best inns for panoramic views in the area. The pub has been a Grade II Listed Building since May 1993.

Salt Pans, Portland

The Salt Pans are two salt pans on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, England. Both pans sit next to one another, and are situated on the coastline of East Weares, the east side of Portland. The pans sit directly below the Young Offenders Institution HM Prison Portland, and are found close to various old historic relics such as the East Weare Rifle Range, Folly Pier, King's Pier and the remains of the Folly Pier Waterworks. The East Weares area, including the Salt Pans, has been labelled a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), largely due to the scrub and wildlife being of high nature conservation value.

Folly Pier Waterworks

Folly Pier Waterworks was a 19th-century waterworks on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, England. The building was located at East Weares, the east side of Portland, below HM Prison Portland, which it supplied water for. Today, only the foundations and walls of its reservoirs survive. The waterworks was named after Folly Pier, a pier once used for the transporting of Portland stone by sea.

Underhill Methodist Church

Underhill Methodist Church is a Methodist Church, opened in 1899, located in Fortuneswell, on the Isle of Portland, Dorset. It was built between 1898–1899, replacing a 1793 chapel built by Robert Carr Brackenbury, the founder of Methodism on Portland. The church remains active to date, as part of the Portland Methodist Circuit, alongside Easton Methodist Church.

References

  1. Morris, Stuart (2016). Portland, an Illustrated History. Dovecote Press. p. 88. ISBN   978-0-9955462-0-2.
  2. "Public Houses". Geoffkirby.co.uk. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 "Portland Station (1st site)". Disused Stations. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  4. Scribbles. "Portland - Portland Gas Works". Pbenyon.plus.com. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  5. Morris, Stuart (2016). Portland, an Illustrated History. Dovecote Press. p. 103. ISBN   978-0-9955462-0-2.
  6. "Chiswell". Geoffkirby.co.uk. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  7. "Portland 1881 Census C". Opcdorset.org. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  8. Morris, Stuart (2016). Portland, an Illustrated History. Dovecote Press. p. 92. ISBN   978-0-9955462-0-2.
  9. Portland Urban District Council (c. 1957). Isle of Portland Official Guide. Ed. J. Burrow & Co. Ltd., Publishers - Chelternham and London. p. 23.
  10. "Portland Churches, Buildings and Views". ancestry.com. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
  11. "Danger UXB – Portland's World War 2 UneXploded Bomb | Dorset Life - The Dorset Magazine". Dorset Life. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  12. Historic England. "Monument No. 1420418". Research records (formerly PastScape). Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  13. Historic England. "Monument No. 1420321". Research records (formerly PastScape). Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  14. "Royal Victoria Lodge re-opens on Portland". Dorset Echo. 13 March 2011. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  15. 1 2 Morris, Stuart (1998). Discover Dorset: Portland. Dovecote Press. p. 13. ISBN   978-1874336495.
  16. 1 2 "Northern Chiswell and Northern Fortuneswell". Geoffkirby.co.uk. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  17. Morris, Stuart (2016). Portland, an Illustrated History. Dovecote Press. pp. 150–151. ISBN   978-0-9955462-0-2.
  18. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 June 2015. Retrieved 22 June 2015.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  19. "Portland Skate Park | Dorset FID". Familyinformationdirectory.dorsetforyou.com. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  20. http://www.viewfrompublishing.co.uk/news_view/7516/11/1/portland-skaters-flock-back-to-new-park
  21. "Portland Skate Park officially open". Dorset Echo. 17 November 2010. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  22. Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1206281)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  23. Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1281836)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 26 June 2014.

Coordinates: 50°33′48″N2°26′59″W / 50.5633°N 2.4498°W / 50.5633; -2.4498