Wakeham

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Wakeham
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Wakeham
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°32′34″N2°25′51″W / 50.542706°N 2.430769°W / 50.542706; -2.430769 Coordinates: 50°32′34″N2°25′51″W / 50.542706°N 2.430769°W / 50.542706; -2.430769
The main area of Wakeham Wakeham, Portland, Dorset - geograph.org.uk - 1288719.jpg
The main area of Wakeham

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. [1] The hamlet features a distinctively wide road running through it, once built to allow space for horse-drawn carts transporting stone by road. [1] Many of Wakeham's older buildings of the 17th and 18th century survive. [2]

Contents

History

Wakeham was established around a natural watercourse and various springs, which the Romans are likely to have developed. Among the archaeological finds of Wakeham are Roman stone sarcophagi, and Iron Age underground chambers. The original settlement was situated within the small valley at the south of the hamlet, and this land later became part of the grounds of Pennsylvania Castle. [1] In 789 AD, the first recorded Viking attack within British Isles, including Ireland, occurred on Portland's coast. It is believed that Church Ope Cove was the location, and at the time would have shown Wakeham above it. [3] [4] The exposed location was later defended by the Norman 12th-century Rufus Castle. [5] Wakeham was home to Portland's first parish church, St Andrews Church, which was probably first established above the cove by the Saxons, and rebuilt in the 12th century. [6] The church was later replaced in the 18th century by the new parish church St George's. [7] During the construction of the new church, between 1754 and 1766, a temporary place of worship was established within Wakeham. [8]

Between 1797 and 1800, John Penn, Governor of Portland and grandson of William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania, had the Gothic revival mansion Pennsylvania Castle built on a platform above the cove, and at the bottom of Wakeham. [9] In order to expand his land, he had Southwell Road diverted, and purchased a number of cottages at the bottom of Wakeham. [10] From the 1840s onwards, Portland saw a large increase within its population, due to the construction of Portland Harbour's Breakwaters. [11] With the need for housing, and the expansion of Portland's villages, Wakeham became part of Easton village. [1] After the First World War, a number of inland quarries were opened around Wakeham area. Opposite Portland Museum at the bottom of Wakeham, a small quarry was opened to provide stone for the Whitehall Cenotaph. [1] The museum was opened in 1930, after Marie Stopes donated two houses for a museum. [12] Today Wakeham remains part of Easton, and is largely residential.

Commercial business

Unlike the majority of Portland's villages, Wakeham has little commercial business in the area. [13] Accommodation in Wakeham village is a leading business and includes The Alessandria Hotel, the self-contained holiday let Church Ope Studio, [14] and the bed and breakfast Leam Guest House. [15] The Cove Holiday Park is found on the outskirt of Wakeham. [16] The Mermaid Inn, now closed, was once open in the area. [17] In 2010, work was successful in turning the pub into a house. [18]

Grade listed features

Part of Portland Museum and the entrance leading to Church Ope Cove area Wakeham, Portland museum and entrance to Church Ope (geograph 3025279).jpg
Part of Portland Museum and the entrance leading to Church Ope Cove area

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

Tudor Cottage (167 Wakeham), 203 Wakeham, along with its attached outbuilding, 209 and 211 Wakeham, 99 Wakeham, 95 Wakeham, 205 and 207 Wakeham, 97 Wakeham, 213 Wakeham, 65 Wakeham, 106 Wakeham, Woodbine Cottage (112 Wakeham), 6 Wakeham, 127 Wakeham, 137 and 139 Wakeham, 129 and 131 Wakeham, 116 Wakeham, 114 Wakeham, 118 Wakeham, 215 Wakeham, 79 Wakeham, and 81 Wakeham are all Grade II Listed. [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25] [26] [27] [28] [29] [30] [31] [32] [33] [34] [35] [36] [37] [38] [39] A dovecote, approximately 5 metres west-south-west of 106 Wakeham, is also Grade II Listed. [40]

Portland Museum is located within Wakeham and close to Church Ope Cove. [41] The museum is housed in two former cottages, one titled Avice's Cottage, and both of which became Grade II Listed in January 1951. With both retaining thatched roofs, the cottages act as a reminder of the type of cottage that once appeared all across the island. Avice's Cottage was an inspiration within the novel The Well-Beloved , written by Thomas Hardy, as the home of three generations of "Avice's" – the novel's heroines. [42]

Church Ope Cove

Although not quite a part of Wakeham, near to Portland Museum, and above Church Ope Cove is Rufus Castle – a ruined castle dating from the late 15th century, on the site of an earlier building. It has been Grade I Listed since January 1951. [43] In addition to this, the castle has become a scheduled monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. [44] St Andrew's Church sits between the castle and the cove. It has been Grade II* Listed since the same time as the castle. [45] Pennsylvania Castle is found just on the edge of Wakeham, near Church Ope Cove. The castle and its attached walls has been Grade II Listed since January 1951. [46] The gatehouse and lodges to the castle were also made Grade II Listed at the same time, although the lodges are now separated in ownership from the castle. [47]

Related Research Articles

Portland Bill Promontory in the isle of Portland in England

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.

Easton, Dorset Human settlement in England

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.

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.

Castletown, Dorset 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.

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.

Church Ope Cove

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.

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.

Rufus Castle Grade I listed castle in the United Kingdom

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.

HM Prison Portland

HM Prison Portland is a male Adult/Young Offenders Institution in the village of The Grove on the Isle of Portland, in Dorset, England. It is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service. The prison was originally opened in 1848 as an adult convict establishment, before becoming a Borstal in 1921, and a YOI in 1988. In 2011 it became an Adult/Young Offenders establishment.

Portland Museum, Dorset Museum in England

Portland Museum is a museum on the Isle of Portland in Dorset, southern England. It is located at the southern end of the hamlet of Wakeham. The museum is housed in two 17th-century thatched cottages, which have both been Grade II Listed since 1951. One of the museum's cottages, Avice's Cottage, is featured in Thomas Hardy's 1897 novel The Well-Beloved, as the home of three generations of "Avices" - the novel's heroines.

Pennsylvania Castle 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.

The Grove, Portland 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.

St Andrews Church, Portland Church in Dorset, England

St Andrew's Church is a ruined church located above Church Ope Cove on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, England. St Andrew's was Portland's first parish church and remained as such until the mid-18th century. It is now one of the island's prime historical sites, and is a Grade II* Listed Building and a Scheduled Monument. The southern retaining wall of the churchyard is also Grade II Listed, as are three remaining churchyard monuments, approximately 7 metres south of the church.

St Peters Church, Portland Church in Dorset, England

St. Peter's Church is a former Church of England church in The Grove, on the Isle of Portland, Dorset. Designed by Major-General Sir Edmund Du Cane, the church was built in 1870-72 and is now a Grade II* Listed building. The gate piers and boundary walls to the north and west of the church are also Grade II Listed, along with the church's vicarage. St. Peter's Church is included on English Heritage's "Heritage at Risk" register.

Easton Gardens Garden in Dorset, England

Easton Gardens is a public garden, located at Tophill, Isle of Portland, Dorset, England. It is found at Easton Square, the centre of Easton village. The gardens have remained a focal point since their opening in 1904 and have been awarded the Green Flag Award in recent years. The gardens feature grassed and formal bedding areas, with other facilities including a children's play area and basketball court.

All Saints Church, Portland Church in Dorset, England

All Saints Church is a Church of England church in Easton, on the Isle of Portland, Dorset. It was consecrated in 1917 and has been a Listed Grade II building since September 1978. The church succeeded to the rights, privileges, registers and silver of the St George's Church. It has been described as the finest ecclesiastical building on Portland – though somewhat hidden at its position. The church remains active to date, as part of the Portland Parish - a host of three churches; St. John's Church, All Saints Church and the Avalanche Memorial Church.

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

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.

Easton Methodist Church Church in Dorset, England

Easton Methodist Church is a Methodist Church in Easton, on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, which was built in 1906–07. The church, along with its former manse and boundary walls, has been a Grade II* Listed since May 1993. Its church hall was formerly a Wesleyan school, dated 1878 on the porch. The school, with the boundary wall, was designated Grade II in May 1993. The church remains active to date, as part of the Portland Methodist Circuit – which involves two churches; Underhill Methodist Church and Easton Methodist Church.

Southwell Methodist Chapel Chapel in Dorset, England

Southwell Methodist Chapel is a former Methodist chapel at Southwell, on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, England. The chapel was built in 1849 between terraced cottages on the east side of the road leading from Southwell to Portland Bill. It closed in 1997 and is now a private residence. It has been Grade II Listed since May 1993.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Appraisal of the Conservation Areas of Portland as amended 2017". dorsetcouncil.gov.uk. 2017. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  2. ↑ Legg, Rodney (1999). Portland Encyclopaedia. Dorset Publishing Company. p. 150. ISBN   978-0948699566.
  3. ↑ Official Church Ope Cove and East Weares information board at cove viewpoint area
  4. ↑ "History : British History Timeline". BBC. 1 January 1970. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  5. ↑ Historic England. "Monument No. 451726". Research records (formerly PastScape). Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  6. ↑ Historic England. "Monument No. 451729". Research records (formerly PastScape). Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  7. ↑ http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~pbtyc/Portland/PYB/Churches.html [ user-generated source ]
  8. ↑ http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~pbtyc/Portland/St_Geo/Church.html [ user-generated source ]
  9. ↑ Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1203103)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  10. ↑ "Penn". members.multimania.co.uk. Archived from the original on 12 January 2011. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  11. ↑ "Portland - Portland's Population". Archived from the original on 10 June 2015. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  12. ↑ Mackenzie, Roy (1999). Portland: A Topographical and Historical Gazetteer. p. 30.
  13. ↑ "Silklake Quarry, Portland, Dorset". Geoffkirby.co.uk. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
  14. ↑ "Self Catering Accommodation : Portland Dorset". Church Ope Studio. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
  15. ↑ "Luxury Bed and Breakfast in Portland, Dorset". Leam House. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
  16. ↑ Beechwood Associates. "Dorset Holiday Parks | Holiday Park Dorset | Cove Holiday Park Dorset". Coveholidaypark.co.uk. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
  17. ↑ "Mermaid Inn, Portland, Dorset, DT5 1HS - pub details#". Beerintheevening.com. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
  18. ↑ "Pennsylvania Castle and Church Ope, Portland". Geoffkirby.co.uk. 3 April 2003. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
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  30. ↑ Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1280298)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 26 June 2014.
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  41. ↑ "Portland Museum". Portland Museum. 17 October 2012. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
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