An
Excursion to Portland
|
Extracted
from a book entitled "A
Summer Trip to Weymouth and Dorchester" (including
an excursion to Portland and a visit to Maiden Castle by
James
Silk Buckingham (1786 - 1855) Published in 1849 Benson and Barling, Weymouth Located and transcribed by Bob Stone (with
the kind assistance of the Weymouth Reference Library) |
 |
Being desirous of extending my range of
investigations somewhat beyond the limits of
Weymouth, I availed myself of a fine day in
September, and joining a party of friends for the purpose, we set off soon after
breakfast, on an excursion to Portland: some of the young gentlemen of our party
preferring the pedestrian mode, as giving greater freedom of movement in
digressions from the main roads, others going on horseback, and the ladies in
open carriages.
On
leaving Weymouth, and attaining the summit of the hill which overtops the town
to the south-west, we were struck with the beautiful marine picture presented by
the high-land of Portland, rising from the long low beach of pebbles and sand by
which it is united to the main land of Dorset, and the pretty bay within this to
eastward, in which were lying a number of vessels, wind-bound on their way down
channel; while the blue surface of the ocean was seen to the westward beyond.
The whole scene reminded me forcibly of the Rock of Gibraltar rising from
the low sandy isthmus which connects it with the west of Spain, called the
Neutral Ground: its bay of anchorage for shipping, and the blue surface of the
broad Atlantic to the west. The
Rock of Gibraltar is the more lofty and more precipitous of the two, but in
other respects the resemblance was very striking.
After
descending the hill, through Wyke-Regis, and a pretty tract of country, we came
to the Ferry, or Trajectus, as old Leland called it in 1538; where he says
"the Trajectus is by a bote and a rope bent over the haven, so that yn the
ferry bote they use no ores." There
is now a handsome and very substantial bridge erected across this Ferry which
has much increased the intercourse with the Island.
Crossing
this, we arrived at the sandy isthmus, along the eastern edge of which we drove
for about a mile, and then alighting from our vehicles, we went up westward to
the topmost part of the ridge, called Chisel Bank. This is a neck, extending for about ten miles from the high
land of Portland along the coast of Dorset, in a north-westerly direction; its
average height is from fifty to sixty feet above the level of the sea, and its
breadth varies from a quarter to half-a-mile.
Exposed as it is on the south-western side to the whole range of the
western ocean, coming up form the broad Atlantic, this most extensive beach
exhibits the largest collection and greatest variety of pebbles to be seen
anywhere in England or in the British Channel, all washed up from the bottom of
the sea. Near the projecting
peninsula of Portland, where these stones first touch the shore, they are the
largest in size and least rounded in form; but as the drift of the currents and
the pressure of the ocean continually drive them farther and farther in towards
the bay, in a northerly and south-westerly sweep, they become smaller and
smaller, and smoother and smoother, being thus worn and reduced by constant
attrition, till at length, in a series of years, they are diminished from masses
of ten and twelve pounds weight to little pebbles of an ounce or less; and the
diminution of the size is so gradual, that a skilful and experienced pilot cast
upon the beach in the darkest night, could tell his relative distance from
either extremity of this long neck, by the size of the pebbles along.
It
was a grand and interesting sight to stand upon the topmost part of the ridge of
this isthmus, and look to the western edge, where the waves rolled in with such
force as to wash the largest stones up to the farthest limit that the water
reached, keeping the whole mass in a state of constant attrition; and as far as
the eye could reach along the north-western shore, the surf left a line of snow
white foam, in unbroken continuity. There
were also several distinct ridges or terraces, between the summit and the foot
of this isthmus, formed by the different degrees of force which the waves had
exerted, in moderate breezes, hard gales, or violent tempests. On the other hand, as we looked down on the eastern side of
the ridge, the slope was quite even, the soil sandy, and the bay within it
perfectly smooth and tranquil; though occasionally, during terrific gales, the
waves have been known to ride over the whole ridge, which is from sixty to one
hundred feet high; and during the great storm of 23rd November, 1824,
a vessel of 95 tons, (in the service of the ordnance, laden with heavy iron
guns, bound to Lough Swilly,) was saved in a most miraculous manner, by being
carried over the beach by a tremendous sea, at the period of high water, and
ultimately, by the exertions of the hardy Islanders, (who were employed by the
board of ordnance,) this vessel was finally launched into the sea on the
Weymouth side.
Portland
is not more than four or five miles from Weymouth, so that we were there in a
short time, from the Chisel Bank. On
entering the Island (for so it is in appearance, and so it is called, though in
strictness it is only a peninsula) we passed on the left, the Castle, which is
thus described.
"Portland
Castle stands at the entrance of the island, and at the foot of the highest part
of it. It is opposite Sandsfoot
Castle, and both entirely command the roads.
This Castle was built by Henry VIII, on his return from the great
interview with Francis the lst., of France, (commonly called 'The Field of the
cloth of Gold,') in 1520, when those places that were most likely to be
surprised by the French, were put in a posture of defence.
"In a little closet, over the gun-room is carved on the wainscot this
inscription, in old English characters:-
"God, save, Kinge, Henri, VIII, of, that, name,
and, Prins, Edvard, begottin, of, Quevene, Jane, my, Ladi, Mari, that, Godli,
Virgin, and, the, Ladi, Elizabet, so, towardli, with, the, Kinge's, honorable,
Cöseïs'"
"In
1588 a corps of 100 foot soldiers was ordered to repair here to defend it, in
consequence of the Spanish invasion.
"In
the beginning of 1642, it was seized by the Parliament; but in August of that
year it submitted to the Earl of Caenarvon;
"In
March, 1643, it was taken by the rebels, who retired here with immense riches,
which they had obtained in the plunder of Wardour Castle, but was recovered by
the partizans of the King, who regained possession of it by the following
strata-gem: - A gentleman, furnished with Parliamentary colours, and sixty men,
proceeded towards the castle, in confusion, and with the haste and appearance as
if flying from an enemy, and called out to the guards, that he was bringing a
supply of men, but that he was pursued by the Earl of Caernaron; who was,
according to design, close upon his rear. Upon
this, the gates were instantly opened, and the castle taken.
"On
the 20th of June, 1644, Colonel William Ashburnham retired here, and
endured for a space of four months, a siege, under extreme distress and
difficulty, with great firmness and intrepidity; he was then relieved by the
Earl of Cleveland, and Sir Walter Hastings appointed to succeed him in the honor
and capacity of governor.
"On
the 23rd of August, 1645, it was stormed by the Parliamentary forces.
On the 6th of April, 1746, it surrended (sic) to the
Parliament, who granted permission to the King's men, on condition that their
arms and amunition (sic) were left behind them, to return to their homes and
families. On the 13th of
April, 1647, the force here was reduced by an order of Parliament to the number
of fifty men.
"The
Duke of Lauderdale was confined in this castle.
The higher tier was taken down some years ago, and all the guns
dismounted.
Having
given a sketch of the ancient history of the Castle, it may be well to add some
description of it in its present state. It
is now, and has been for some years, the residence of Captain Charles Augustus
Manning, who, it appears, is held in high estimation by the inhabitants of the
Island, in consequence of the interest he takes in their welfare, together with
his upright and impartial administration of justice, in his capacity of
Magistrate. In August, 1841, this
gentleman was elected, by the unanimous voice of the tenants of this Royal
Manor, their Trustee, under her Majesty's Grant - a boon which was originally
conferred on the inhabitants by King Charles the Second, on his restoration in
1660, partly for the loyalty evinced by them during the Civil Wars, and also in
consequence of the injury done to the pasture in working the Crown Quarries.
By
the deed alluded to, it appears that for every ton of stone exported from the
Island, a duty of one shilling is paid; half of which reverts to the
inhabitants, to be expended for their benefit in the most advantageous manner.
Captain
Manning has recently, at a very great expense, and with much judgement and
mechanical genius, not only renovated those parts both external and internal
which had fallen in decay, but his by his own hands, most elaborately fitted up
and adorned the various departments.
On
entering the outer gate, and passing through the approaches, the battlements
surrounding the external walls form a striking object.
By this road we were brought to the principal entrance of the Castle, and
the first attraction which presents itself is the ARMOURY.
In this are displayed, in the most perfect order, implements of war,
ancient and modern, consisting of massive shields, coats of armour, banners,
trophies, swords, muskets, spears, and pistols bearing the inscription 'First
Dragoon Guards,' and dated 1745, (the period at which all the Fortresses were
strengthened)*
*It is a singular
circumstance, that the regiment for which these pistols were made, was, at the
expiration of 93 years from the date, (namely, in 1838) ordered to Canada under
the command of Capt. Manning's brother, for the suppression of the Rebellion
in that country.
There was also pieces of brass-ordnance, with
ammunition chests well supplied with various kinds of shot - a massive iron
chest of Spanish manufacture, of great antiquity, and the most curious
workmanship. On the left of this,
is the prison in which the Duke of Lauderdale was confined during the Civil
Wars. Leaving the Armoury, we
ascend the main staircase; on the side embrasures of which, are some curious
pieces of brass ordnance, also of Spanish manufacture, bearing the date of 1627.
This staircase leads to the Drawing Room, which is elegantly furnished
and hung with many valuable paintings; the Portraits of William and Mary, by
Myttens, are particularly attractive, as well as several beautifully executed
Family Portraits by Sir Peter Lely, and other eminent artists, in richly carved
frames. There is also a clock of
singular workmanship in bübl, richly carved and gilt, recently brought from
Canada by Captain J.S. Manning, of the King's Dragoon Guards.
This clock has been one hundred years in the family of the French General
Montcalm, who fell at the storming of Quebec in 1759.
A splendid Indian Cabinet here contains some rare china, and other
articles of vertu. Passing from the
Drawing Room to the Gallery, which runs nearly the whole length of the Castle,
are seen among other attractions, a Gothic Cabinet Case, containing many
articles of great curiosity and antiquity; Chinese figures elaborately carved in
wood; old china; a large gold snuff box. Presented to Captain J.S. Manning by
the inhabitants of Wolverhampton for his valuable services in suppressing the
riots at the election of 1835; there is also another gold box which was
presented to him by his troop, after 25 years service; - also a handsome sliver
salver presented to Captain Manning by the Vicar of Cransley, in the County of
Northampton, for a beautiful model executed by him (according to the
inscription) of the church of that parish.
The
Library, which contains many valuable and scarce works, is also in this Gallery.
Several other rooms, branching right and left, are fitted up in the same
classic style, and one of these, a small private room, contains a splendid
shield of modern armour beautifully arranged..
In this room there is a valuable copy of a work entitled "Usser's
Chronology" in the title page of which, are some remarks, bearing date 1656,
with the autograph of the Duke of Lauderdale, who was confined in this Castle as
before mentioned. This rare book has recently been presented to Captain Manning
by Earl Grosvenor. In one of the
Bed Rooms are two very scarce and valuable prints, one entitled "The Field of
the Cloth of Gold" representing the interview between Henry the Eighth and
Francis the First of France; the other "The Coronation procession of King
Edward the Sixth," representing Cheapside as it appeared before the great fire
of London. In a room called Queen
Jane's closet, is a curious Portrait of James Bruce, Esq., an ancestor of
Capt. Manning, and ambassador at the Court of Persia in 1699.
This picture was painted at Ishpahawn, and presented to Mr. Bruce, by the
Shah, with a Callaat, or Royal Vest, and sword of great value.
The
walls of the Castle are of great strength being in most parts from 10 to 14 feet
thick - the outer or Court wall facing Portland Roads is also of massive
masonry, and pierced for guns.
We
learn from another source that in the year 1818, the Commander-in-chief, His
Royal Highness the late Duke of York, with the sanction and concurrence of the
Master General of the Ordnance, granted the use of the Castle to the Manning
Family, as a marine residence. The
Castle is not shewn to the public.
We
continued our route to ascend the hill, passing through the village of Chiswell,
and winding our way up the summit, being anxious first to visit the quarries
from whence the large supplies of Portland stone are obtained, and to inspect
the remarkable fossil trees which are found there, at a height of 200 feet above
the level of the sea, with large masses of rock deposited above them since they
were first submerged beneath the waters, where this formation was originally
deposited, and since upheaved from the depths, by some subterranean agency,
which could alone lift them to their present elevation.
We
reached the quarries in less than an hour after our beginning the ascent, and
found the workmen all engaged there. From
among one of the most intelligent of the number we obtained a guide to conduct
us through every part of the works. We
had also the advantage of possessing a copy of a Paper read before the
Geological Society of London, on the Geology of the Island, by Professor
Buckland, and Mr. De la Beche. From
these authorities, added to the information of our guide, and the personal
researches of our party, the following observations were made on the spot.
In
a section given of the west side of Portland, at the cliff of the Black Nore,
which is 300 feet above the level of the sea, it appears that the lower half,
down to the very margin of the sea, is of Portland sand, beginning at the lowest
stratum, with sandstone concretions imbedded in a dark sandy marl; above this,
are layers of grey and brown sandy marl with sand stone; this extends upwards of
100 feet from the base. On this is
superposed the following strata, rising upward in succession; - 1. Shelly grey
lime stone - 2. Sandy lime stone with chert, - 3. Bubbly beds with chert, - 4.
Compact and chalky lime stone with chert, - 5. good stone, - 6. roach, - 7. good
stone, - 8. topmost cap. Over this
mass, which comprehends a height of 200 feet is the dirt bed, with fossil trees,
of the cycadeoidex, occupying about 30 feet in thickness; and above this again
is a layer or bed of calcareous slate of at least 50 feet in depth or thickness.
The following section of the three top-most layers, taken from the paper
before referred to, will give an exact idea of their appearance and relative
position.
We
saw a large portion of this opened, through the fresh water formation of
calcareous slate, down to the dirt bed, and below this into the marine formation
of Portland stone; and we obtained from the superintendant (sic) of the
quarries, a fine specimen of the petrified or fossil tree, of the bifurcated
truck, lying along horizontally on the ground, for a Cabinet collection.
The important fact of the wood, flowers, and fruits of these
petrifactions being of the Palm Tree, add much to the interest of their
discovery. In the admirable paper
of Dr. Buckland, and Mr. De la Beche, read before the Geological Society of
London, before referred to, are the following remarks on this formation in the
Island of Portland, which are of sufficient interest and value to be
transcribed.
"We
consider a small stratum, called by the workmen 'Dirt-bed', to be by far the
most interesting and remarkable deposit in this district.
It seems to be made up of black loam, mixed with the exuviæ of tropical
plants, accumulated on the spot on which they grew, and preserved during a
series of years, in which the surface of the Portland stone had for a time
become dry land, and accumulated a soil of about a foot in thickness, composed
of an admixture of earth and black vegetable matter, interspersed with slightly
rounded fragments of stone, which Mr. Webster ascertained to be from the lower
part of the Portland series. These
fragments are found to be almost coextensive with the dirt-bed; and the fact
that we have yet found with them no admixture of pebbles derived from the
subjacent oolites, or from any other more ancient rocks, shows that no violent
rush of water from any distant region took place during the period in which
these pebbles of Portland stone were under the process of becoming slightly
rounded.
"This
dirt-bed, as Mr. Webster has stated, forms the matrix of the silicified trunks
of very large coniferous trees, which are so abundant in the Isle of Portland,
and are found there coextensive with the upper surface of the Portland stone.
Wherever the dirt-bed is laid open to extract the subjacent
building-stone, it is found to contain these silicified trees laid prostrate,
partly sunk into the black earth, and partly covered by the superjacent calcareo-siliceous
slate: from this slate the silex, to which the trees are now converted, must
have been derived. A bed of snow
falling on a modern peat-bog, and covering the upper portion of prostrate trees,
whose lower portion has been sunk by their weight into their substance of the
peat, would represent the position of the calcareous slate which immediately
covers these fossil trees in Portland. Some
of them extend to a length exceeding thirty feet, and bifurcate at their upper
end; but the branches are not continuous to their extremities, and we find no
traces of leaves. The leaves and
small branches, and exterior parts of the trunks, had probably decayed, whilst
they lay exposed to air on the surface of the peat.
Amid these prostrate trees, many of which attain three and four feet in
diameter, we find silicified stems of plants closely resembling the modern Cycas
and Zamia. These have been
described by Prof. Buckland under the name of Cycadeoideae, and are important,
as indicating that the temperature in which they grew was much higher than that
of our present climate. We find
also, at nearly the same intervals at which trees are found growing in a modern
forest, an assemblage of silicified stumps, or stods of large trees, with their
roots attached to the earth in which they grew.
These stumps are from one to three feet long: they are mostly erect,
whilst a few are slightly inclined. The
black earth which contains their roots seldom exceeds one foot in thickness; the
upper portions of the stumps, as represented by Mr. Webster, project upwards
into the substance of the superjacent stone (called "soft burr" and "aish"),
which gives indication of their presence by hemispherical concretions
accumulated around the top of each stump of wood.
"In
the highly inclined strata of the cliff, about a furlong east of Lulworth Cove,
and represented in the following sketch, we find a considerable number of these
silicified stumps, some entirely laid bare by the washing of the sea, others
partly exposed and partly covered, and others still wholly encased with
concretions of soft burr, and all having their roots fixed in the dirt-bed,
which occurs here also of the same thickness, and in precisely the same relative
place, and interspersed with the same rounded fragments of limestone which it
contains in the Isle of Portland.
The position of these stumps, at an angle nearly of 45º to the horizon, affords a striking proof of the elevation which the strata have undergone. We find the dirt-bed also on the top of the Portland stone, in the sections of some quarries along the Ridgeway, e g. near Upwey, on the north of Weymouth, and at the western termination of the Portland stone near Portisham, at the distance o f twenty miles west from Lulworth. Dr. Buckland has found slight traces of this dirt-bed on the upper surface of a stratum of Portland stone in the quarries about two miles north of Thame, in Oxfordshire; it is
there
covered by a few feet of clay, in which he found no other animal remains than
fragments of some Testudo, too small to point out the genus to which they
belong. The recognition of this
very remarkable bed in a locality so distant from Portland seems to indicate
that it may be found to be nearly co-expensive with the Portland formation
throughout England; and it well merits the attention of future observers to
search for it in the Vale of Aylesbury, and in the two localities of the
Portland stone immediate between Oxford and Dorsetshire, namely, at Swindon and
Tisbury. The probability of its
occurrence at Tisbury, is increased by the recent recognition of the
Cycadeoideae at this place by Miss Benett.
Dr. Fitton has discovered this deposit on the opposite side of the
Channel in the Boulonnois, and has thus described it in the Annals of
Philosophy, December, 1826. 'Some
traces of the lowest members of the group to which these two strata (Weald clay
and Hastings sand) belong, and which is remarkable form its containing
throughout the remains of freshwater shells, are visible on the summit of the
cliffs between Gris-nez and Equinen, where a thin bed occurs of somewhat
bituminous clay, abounding in silicified wood, the cavities of which are coated
with minute crystals of quartz. This
bed corresponds precisely to that which exists on the top of the Isle of
Portland, bearing there the name of "Dirt", and abounding in similar wood;
and on the French coast it is associated with beds of limestone, different from
the stone beneath, and containing shells in great numbers, apparently of the
genera Cyclas and Ampullaria.' Dr.
Fitton has also recognized thin fissile beds of Purbeck stone containing
freshwater shells, e.g. Cyclas and Cypris, at Whitchurch, in Bucks.
We consider this dirt-bed as quite decisive in forming the barrier
between the Portland and Purbeck formations:
its depositions must have proceeded during the considerable period of
time, antecedently to which the districts it occupies were entirely submerged
beneath the sea, and subsequently to which the waters again returned to
overwhelm the, first with deposit of about 100 feet of the semi-lacustrine
sediments of a great estuary (including the united thickness of the Purbeck
series and the Wealden sands and clays), and afterwards with a series of marine
deposits amounting to much more than 1000 feet of greensand and chalk.
The Portland stone was first brought into note, in the reign of James the
First, in whose time it was employed by the architects of the Banqueting House
at Whitehall, in the erection of their building.
It was found superior to most other stones, in the freedom with which it
could be cut or sawed, either perpendicularly, horizontally, or diagonally; and
hence it was called free-stone. Sir
Christopher Wren also used it largely, not only for the building of St. Paul's
Cathedral, but for the reconstruction of most of the public edifices destroyed
by the great fire of London in 1666. At
present, nearly 50,000 tons of this stone are exported from these quarries
annually, and a large number of vessels, from 50 to 150 tons, are employed in
their conveyance. The stones are got out of different sizes, upon the average
about a ton each in weight; but many of the large blocks weigh five or six tons.
They are conveyed to the shipping places below the quarries by a
rail-road; - loaded truck is so managed as to draw up the unloaded to the summit
of the hill – to this point, the truck is drawn from the quarry to horses.
In the same quarries in which the fossil trees already described, are
found, there are also seen stumps of trees, in such a position, and under such
circumstances, as prove beyond doubt the remarkable tranquility of the
superincumbent waters, while the deposits over these buried forest were going
on; and as this is a point of considerable interest the following observations
on the subject are transcribed from the Geological Paper before referred to.
"We have a measure of the duration of the period during which the
surface of the Portland stone continued in the state of dry land, covered with
forest, in the thickness of the "Dirt Bed," which has accumulated more than
a foot of black earth, loaded with the wreck of its vegetation.
The regular and uniform preservation of this thin bed of black earth over
a distance of so many miles, shows that the change from dry land to the state of
a freshwater lake or estuary was not accompanied by any violent denudation or
rush of water, since the loose black earth, together with the trees which lay
prostrate on its surface, must inevitably have been swept away had any such
violent catastrophe then taken place. Prof.
Henslow, in the summer of 1832, found in the top cap of the Portland stone,
immediately beneath the dirt-bed, root-shaped cavities descending from the
bottom of the dirt-bed into the subjacent solid stone; this top cap should seem,
therefore, to have been occupied by the roots of the trees which grew in the
dirt-bed, and penetrated the Portland Stone while it was yet soft and
unconsolidated. He also noticed in
Portland two partial and very thin seams of black earth; the uppermost at the
distance of five feet, and the lowermost of seven feet, below the dirt-bed: these seams of black earth are important, as they mark two
short intervals during which vegetable matter had begun to accumulate on the
surface of the soft and gradually increasing materials of the uppermost beds of
the Portland stone, whilst they were just rising above the level of the sea.
The incipient bed of vegetable matter was thus twice interrupted in its
progress, and buried beneath an influx, first of two feet, and next of five
feet, of earthy sediment, before the general surface on which the true dirt-bed
rests had been raised entirely above the water.
"Here, then, we have proofs of a tranquil state and gentle action of
water in the period immediately succeeding, as well as in that which preceded,
the formation of the dirt-bed, upon a surface that became dry land during a
short time intermediate between the transition of the district which it covers
from a submarine state to that of a freshwater lake.
The rapid possession which in our modern tropics is taken by the Pandanus
or Screw Pine and Cocoa-nut Palm of the first banks and reefs of coral islands
that emerge above the level of the sea, affords an example of the luxuriant
growth of vegetables on the margin of land just rising above the water,
analogous to the ancient juxtamarine forest, the remains of which contributed to
the formation of the dirt-bed, in the region which has now become the southern
coast of Dorsetshire."
With respect to the silicified trees Prof. Henslow makes the following
observations: -
"From what I saw I should think that all the erect stumps must have
suffered considerable decay before they had become imbedded, or at least
fossilized, in the burr. They
consisted of no more than the central portion of the wood just above and below
the neck of the trees, which had every appearance of having grown in the places
which they still occupy.
"In a quarry of very white and chalk-like Portland stone, at the base
of Chalbury Hill, near Preston, I found a cylindrical mass of flint, ten inches
in diameter, reposing upon a soot-like mass of carbonaceous matter, probably
resulting from the decomposition of leaves and bark, and forming an envelope to
the lower part of the cylinder, but not extending beyond it.
Upon cracking off as much of this cylinder as protruded from the side of
the quarry, I perceived the central portions, of three inches in diameter, to
consist of fossilized wood. It
appears to me most probable that the whole cylinder had occupied the space
originally filled by the trunk or branch of a tree; but that during the process
of its becoming silicified, the organic structure of the outer portions had not
been impressed upon the flint. In
the Isle of Portland the quarry-men collect a similar black vegetable substance,
which they use for marking stone, &c.
A skeleton of the Babyroussa or horned Hog, (only found in the tropical
climates,) has recently been discovered in a gally under the whole bed of stone
45 feet below the surface. This
rare specimen which is nearly whole, is now in the possession of Capt. Manning.
After
our inspection of the quarries, we proceeded on towards the South of the Island,
where the light-houses well deserve a visit.
Of these there are two, the lower one erected in 1789, the upper one in
1817: the former is visible from
the north-east shore of Weymouth, and from the east, west, and south offing.
These points include 216º 33' 45" or 19¼ points of vision, and 143º
26' 15" or 12¾ points blank, which is toward the Island.
The height from the sea to the ground floor of this light-house is 61
feet, and from thence to the center of the lights 68 feet, making the total
height from the sea 130 feet. The
light is visible from nearly every point of the compass at sea, and also from
the north-east shore of Weymouth bay. Taking
the Chesil beach as the line of observation, the points of vision are 306º
33' 45," or 27¼ points, and the blank points toward the high-land of the
Island are 53º 26' 15" or 4¾ points of darkness.
The top of an old tower formerly obscured some portion of the light; but
a report having been made by Mr. J.D. Harvey, to the Trinity Board, it was
removed. The height from the sea to
the ground floor of the second light-house is 172 feet, and from thence to the
center of the lights 25 feet, making a total height from the sea of 197 feet.
The apparatus for ensuring a brilliant light from both of the
light-houses is admirable, as they are so placed that the mariner at night knows
exactly the point to which he is steering:
and by day also, they serve as land-marks, and warn him of his approach
to the ever-foaming "Race," or, the meeting of tides, which is about three
miles distant from the shore; and of the "Shambles," a bank caused by the
several tides dividing just at this point.
The soundings of this dangerous spot, are accurately marked in the map
which has been published expressly for this work.
From the projecting point of the Bill of Portland, the prospect up and
down channel embraces Torbay on the west, and the Isle of Wight to the east, at
a distance of 75 miles.
Further
on to the eastward, we went to see the ruins of an old building, called Rufus
Castle, from a notion that it was built either by or in the time of William
Rufus: and by others called Bow and
Arrow Castle, from its walls exhibiting the loopholes or openings through which
the archers in ancient days discharged their arrows at their assailants.
It was pentagonal in form, and had an ancient church near it, but both
are now much dilapidated and grown over with ivy.
Near it stands a more modern building, erected by John Penn, Esq. a
descendant of the Admiral Penn, before mentioned, and of his Son, William Penn,
the founder of Pennsylvania in America. Mr.
John Penn was for some time Governor of the Island of Portland, an appointment
in the gift of the Crown, and he built this mansion as a place of summer
residence, for which it is well adapted, being close to the rocks on the shore,
and its windows are often dashed with the spray of the sea. He called it Pennsylvania Castle, in honor of his ancestor,
William Penn, the founder of the State of that name in America.
The engraving at the head of this chapter (from a faithful sketch
recently taken by a lady) represents the ruins of Rufus Castle, with
Pennsylvania Castle in the distance.
It is at present occupied by Thomas Heath, Esq. who spent some years of
his life in India: and as strangers
and visitors are permitted to enter it, on sending their cards, we had an
opportunity of going all over it. The
surrounding grounds are well laid out in lawns and shrubberies; and the house,
tho' peculiar in shape, with circular rooms, long narrow galleries, and
miniature boudoirs, is fitted up and furnished in unique manner, resembling a
Museum of Chinese and Indian curiosities rather than a family residence. It is
however full of interest, from the infinite variety of rare and curious articles
with which every room is crowded; and the arrangement is such as to set them all
off to the greatest advantage.
We returned from hence up through the center of the Island, passing
through the several villages and hamlets scattered over its surface, in which we
were struck with the antique and primitive style of the dwellings, with their
stone porches, gable ends, small windows, and other traits of the olden times.
The people too whom we saw, and with whom we conversed, seemed as
primitive in their manners, as their dwellings were in their style.
They were said to be all fishermen and quarrymen, and may exercise the
avocation of both at intervals.
The parish church of St. George, is situated about the center of the
Island, and at the western extremity of the village of Reforne, is a plain stone
building, capable of seating 716 persons; it is in the Diocese of Salisbury, and
was erected in the year 1777.
On a small plain Tablet is the following.
John
Penn, Esquire,
(OF STOKE PARK, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE)
GRANDSON OF William Penn FOUNDER OF PENNSYLVANIA:
Born
22nd February, 1760;
APPOINTED GOVERNOR OF THE ISLAND IN 1805
Died
21st of June, 1834;
Aged
74 Years."
The following Tablet is to the memory of the late
rector, the Rev. John Manning, A.M.
"Sacred
to the Memory of
The Rev. John Manning, A.M.
FORMERLY RECTOR OF GREAT MILTON, OXFORDSHIRE
And
for Nine Years Officiating Minister of this Parish
The
arduous duties of which he performed with a truly
Pastoral
zeal, and the most persevering exertions
To
fulfil to the utmost of his power, the sacred and important
ministry
which had been committed
To
his charge:
Mr.
Manning Died February 23rd, 1826, Aged 66 Years;
And
his Mortal Remains are deposited in a Vault underneath.
He
was second son of the Rev. Owen Manning, P.D., F.R.S. & F.S.A.
One
of the canons of Lincoln, Vicar of Godalming,
And
Rector of Peperharrow, Surrey;
Author
of the celebrated History of the County,
And
other literary productions."
As
a Tribute to the Virtues of their ever lamented Father,
This
Monument was erected by his affectionate Sons.
There
are also tablets to the memory of Gustavus Baron Nolcken, (son of Ambassador
from the court of Sweden to this country,) who died in 1831.
Also of Captain Hope Bower, R.N. of the Orestes sloop of war, who died in
Portland Roads; and of Mr. John Gilbert, architect of the church with a
memorandum of a donation of £100 to the church, by his Majesty King George III.
Another
church has recently been erected, dedicated to St. John the Baptist, the
foundation of which was laid by Captain Manning in presence of a very large
assembly of persons, on the 1st July, 1839.
This is a very neat building, situated at the upper part of the village
of Chesil; it was consecrated by the Lord Bishop of Salisbury, on the 5th
September, 1840, and is capable of seating 650 persons.
The
whole of the Island or Peninsula of Portland is about four miles in length, two
in its greatest breadth, and nine in circumference. There are eight separate villages, called Chesil,
Fortune's-well, Reforne, Wakeham, Weston, Easton, Southwell, and Castletown:
but the aggregate population of the whole does not exceed 3000 persons.
The race of Portlanders were anciently so celebrated for their skill in
the use of the sling and stone, in battle, that they were called by the Romans,
the Baleares of Britain, or the British Slingers.
In modern times, they have been more conspicuous for their efforts to
save life, than to destroy it: and have exhibited great courage, generosity, and
personal daring, in risking their own lives, to save shipwrecked mariners cast
upon the coast.
There are two principal names in the Island, Pearce and Stone, which, one
would imagine, must have been derived from their occupation as quarries, since
"to pierce the stone," is their chief and almost constant employment.
Until of very late years, there was no example of their marring out of
the Island: and in the matches made within their own circle, it was thought most
becoming for a Stone to wed a Pearce, or a Pearce a Stone, rather than that two
of the same name should be united. While
the men are at their occupation in the quarries, their wives and daughters
appeared to be industriously occupied in domestic duties: and we saw many of
them sitting in the stone porches before their doors knitting stockings: an
occupation of early date among the housewives of Britain, if we may judge from
the verse of Sir Thubbit Gorges, in his Interlude to Ella, as quoted by old
Hackluyt, in Queen Elizabeth's reign, who says
"As
Elynour bie the green lasaile was syttynge
"As
from the sunn's heat she tarryed,
"She
sayde, as her white hands white hosen were knyttynge,
"What
pleasure yt ys to be marryed."
In our way across the Island, we saw the Spring at
Fortune's-well, 200 feet above the level of the sea; and found the water of it
excellent. We saw also the remains
of the Roman encampment, which is still visible on the height of the hill behind
the Inn called the Portland Arms. And
in the custody of the landlord of this Inn, is the Reeve Pole, an old
relic of Saxon times, on which every acre of land in Portland is described, and
by the authority of which the bailiff of the Island still collects the dues of
the lord of the manor.
As we descend the northern slope of the Island on our return to Weymouth,
we were much struck with its splendid Bay, and the importance of its projected
Breakwater, but this deserves a separate chapter for its consideration.
Upon the whole, our party were much pleased with their excursion to Portland, which permitted agreeable sources of gratification to persons of very varied and opposite tastes. We had in it food for the mind of the antiquary, in its ancient castellated remains; - subjects of investigation for the geologist and naturalist, in its strata, beds, and fossil curiosities; - topics for the student of manners, in the primitive condition and habits of its people; - gratification for the lovers of marine landscape; - in the extensive and commanding views of the British Channel and its coast, east and west; - and all the enjoyments of vigorous exercise, fresh air, and the healthful pleasures of which these are the delightful sources.