North Of Portland Bill

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The area north of Portland Bill includes the Ministry of Defence Magnetic Range where test can be performed well away from stray electric and magnetic fields.

Also in this area is The Pulpit Inn [2], Dorset's most southerly public house.

The area north of Portland Bill includes the Ministry of Defence Magnetic Range where test can be performed well away from stray electric and magnetic fields click here for a description of this site and its history.

Please click here for a detailed map. The arrow points to the centre of this area described here. Click the BACK button on your browser to return to this page.

Please click here to visit the satellite image of this area on Google Maps. Click the BACK button on your browser to return to this page.

Please click here for many historic pictures of Portland Bill’s three lighthouses. Click the BACK button on your browser to return to this page.

In 1907 history was made when a “Marconi Wireless Station” near the Higher Lighthouse made contact with Gibraltar - please click here for details. Royal Navy aerials were still operational into the 1980s when they were demolished. The very faint outlines of the bases of the two masts can be seen on Google Earth by clicking here.

Please use this table to navigate around this page THE OLD BLACKSMITH’S FORGE [1] MINISTRY OF DEFENCE ESTABLISHMENT THE PULPIT INN [2] LOBSTER WORLD [3] COASTGUARD COTTAGES [4] ANOTHER OF MY HOBBIES

THE OLD BLACKSMITH’S FORGE [1]

The Old Blacksmith's Forge at Portland Bill.

Now used as a fisherman's store, it is described in Eric Ricketts' book (“The Buildings of Old Portland” by Eric Ricketts. Privately Published in 1979 and since reprinted) where the corbie stepped gables are noted as similar to 16th century Scottish and Dutch huts. The blacksmith's main task was to repair and sharpen the quarry workers' tools when stone was being extracted from Portland Bill quarries in Victorian days.

A Portland Stone hand-carved animal trough.

There used to be many of these scattered around the Island but few have survived the destructive attention of vandals. This one was intact and stood by the east wall of the old blacksmith's building (see picture above) until it was smashed in 1989. 

One also lay by the wall of the upper lighthouse until the mid-1990s - that too has now gone.

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MINISTRY OF DEFENCE ESTABLISHMENT

Dominating the western part of Portland Bill is a large cluster of buildings protected by a high security fence.

Within this secret area experiments are carried on the magnetic signatures of ships and submarines to protect them against mines.

The site is also used for testing and calibrating magnetic compasses and navigational equipment.

There is a comprehensive description of the work carried out at this site here.

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PULPIT INN [2]

The Pulpit Public House pictured above in 1990 before the extension was built on the left hand side and below it is pictured in 2016.

Dan and Jackie Fox retired in 2014 after 29 years at this pub - see the story here.

A well is marked on the 1903 Ordnance Survey map about 30 metres north-west of the pub. Is there still a well here?

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“LOBSTER WORLD” [3]

When plans were submitted to build 'Lobster World' near the coastguard cottages it was strongly opposed by local people. However, it opened in 1986 as a tourist attraction and breeding centre for lobsters to be released into the wild.

Unfortunately, it was not a commercial success and, in 1989, it was converted into a luxury four-bedroom house and put on the market in that year for �180,000.

The only lobster you will see at the ex-Lobster World site!

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COASTGUARD COTTAGES [4]

The old coastguard cottages and houses near Portland Bill; one of the most remote settlements in South Dorset.

And these are the children’s swings that are the furthest south in Dorset.

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ANOTHER OF MY HOBBIES

Age of 75 I started a new hobby - writing and publishing books. These are available as paperbacks from Amazon - please click here for details. Their overall star rating from readers is