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CHISWELL
CHISWELL IS THE OLDEST SETTLEMENT IN UNDERHILL HAVING BEEN A FISHING VILLAGE FOR MANY CENTURIES BECAUSE OF ITS ACCESS TO THE SEA. IT SUFFERED TERRIBLE DAMAGE AND LOSS OF LIVE IN THE ‘GREAT TEMPEST’ OF 1824 WHEN MANY COTTAGE COLLAPSED WHEN THE SEA BROKE OVER CHESIL BANK AND LOCALS WERE KILLED. THE REMAINS OF SOME OF THESE COTTAGES SURVIVE IF ONLY AS LOW FOUNDATION WALLS.
IN VICTORIAN TIMES THE ARRIVAL OF THE RAILWAY AND THE EXTENSTIVE DEVELOPMENT OF NEARBY FORTUNESWELL TO HOUSE THE PRISON GUARDS AND ROYAL NAVY OVERSHADOWED CHISWELL BUT IT STILL RETAINS A CHARM AND OBVIOUS CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SEA. PICTURES ARE INCLUDED BELOW SHOWING FLOODING IN CHISWELL AND IN JANUARY 2014 FLOOD ALERTS AND EVACUATIONS WERE MADE.
PLEASE CLICK HERE TO SEE A VICTORIAN MAP OF THIS AREA.
A VIEW OF CHISWELL SHOWING THE MERE AND THE CHESIL BANK
PORTLAND FAIR c1905 VICTORIA SQUARE
THIS OBSERVATORY WAS SET UP ADJACENT TO THE VICTORIA SQUARE GAS WORKS IN MID-VICTORIAN TIMES. IT WAS BUILT AND USED BY REV. WILLIAM ROBERT MORRIS WAUGH (1818 - 1906) WHO WAS FAMOUS FOR HIS DETAILED OBSERVATIONS OF THE CLOUD STRUCTURES ON THE PLANET JUPITER. AN INTERESTING LETTER ABOUT THIS OBSERVATORY APPEARED IN THE FREE PORTLAND NEWS FOR SEPTEMBER 1989.
F. J. BARNES FIRST MASONRY WORKS AT VICTORIA SQUARE (1891) IN THE STATION AREA. THIS IS JUST AFTER BARNES BOUGHT IT FROM THE PORTLAND STONE Co. THE OBSERVATORY WAS IN THIS AREA AT THIS TIME BUT PROBABLY HIDDEN BEHIND THE SAWMILLS BUILDING.
THE VIEW BELOW SHOWS THE MODERN SITE OF THE OBSERVATORY.
VICTORIA GARDENS. NOTE MAN RIDING SIDE SADDLE UP VICTORY ROAD. A MODERN VIEW IS SHOWN BELOW.
TRACTION ENGINE ENTERING VICTORIA SQUARE. FOWLER No. 15319, FX7850 "NELLIE" ENTERS VICTORIA SQUARE WITH TWO TRAILERS LOADED WITH STONE DESTINED FOR MESSRS F. J. BARNES SAW MILLS ALONGSIDE THE STATION YARD.
OPENING OF VICTORIA GARDENS MAY 25TH 1904. BELOW IS A MODERN VIEW OF THIS PART OF THE GARDENS.
THE HARBOUR FROM VICTORIA GARDENS.
VICTORIA GARDENS. NOTE THE RAILWAY STATION AND GAS WORKS IN BACK GROUND
BELOW IS A MODERN VIEW OF THIS PART OF VICTORIA GARDENS.
GARAGE IN VICTORIA SQUARE. OWNER AND DATE UNKNOWN.
VICTORIA SQUARE STATION AND GOODS YARD.
SEA FLOODED VICTORIA SQUARE AND CHISWELL 1924. BELOW IS A MODERN VIEW OF THE SCENE IN HAPPIER TIMES.
1924 FLOODS AT CHISWELL.
CHISWELL FLOODING IN 1924 AT THE WESTERN END OF CLEMENTS LANE. BELOW IS A MODERN VIEW OF THE SAME SCENE.
FLOODING IN CHISWELL COINCIDED WITH THE KING’S VISIT TO PORTLAND 1936 ON HIS WAY TO HMS COURAGEOUS. THERE WAS A SCHOOL VISIT BY CHILDREN FROM ST JOHNS SCHOOL.
FLOODING NEAR BRANDY ROW 1924.
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CHISWELL ABOUT 1920. BELOW IS A MODERN VIEW OF THE SCENE.
HOUSE ON CHESIL, NOW DEMOLISHED. SEE BELOW FOR A MODERN VIEW OF THIS SCENE.
BELOW IS A RECENT PICTURE OF THIS SCENE.
CHISWELL, PORTLAND WITH WELL ON LEFT
CHISWELL. NOTE PUMP IN MIDDLE OF ROAD. THE MODERN SCENE IS SEEN BELOW.
HIGH STREET, PORTLAND. JUNCTION WITH CLOVENS ROAD. THE PICTURE BELOW SHOWS A MODERN VIEW OF THIS SCENE.
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FLOODS IN VICTORIA SQUARE.
COTTAGES AT CHISWELL.
THIS COTTAGE SURVIVES ONLY AS A DERELICT HUT AS SEEN BELOW. THE DOOR SEEN BELOW IS THE ONE ABOVE WHERE THE BOY IS STANDING.
MALLAMS WAS ONCE A TINY HAMLET CLINGING TO THE HILLSIDE ABOVE CHISWELL. BELOW WE SEE THE ROAD NAMED MALLAMS ALL THAT IS LEFT OF THIS TINY COMMUNITY.
BUILDING GANG 1920'S WORKING IN CHISWELL. BUILDING GANG POSSIBLY ALFRED JOLIFFE STANDING ON GROUND SECOND FROM LEFT WITHOUT HAT BORN 1867 DIED OF LEAD POISONING FROM PAINT 1927
COTTAGE THAT ONCE STOOD OPPOSITE 90 CHISWELL. THE HOUSE WAS OCCUPIED BY GEORGE ANTHONY WITH HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN. THE MODERN SCENE IS SHOWN BELOW.
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