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WAKEHAM
CHILDREN'S FETE PASSING DOWN WAKEHAM, 1921.
PORTLAND MUSEUM. SIDE ENTRANCE 25 JULY 1935
AVICE’S COTTAGE 1924
THIS WAS GIVEN WITH THE ADJACENT BUILDING TO THE PEOPLE OF PORTLAND FOR THE PURPOSES OF A MUSEUM BY DR STOPES.
JOHN PENN’S STONE BATH
KING GEORGE III MADE SEA BATHING POPULAR AROUND THE START OF THE 19TH CENTURY AND JOHN PENN, THE BUILDER AND OWNER OF PENNSYLVANIA CASTLE, DECIDED THAT HE WOULD JOIN IN THIS HEALTHY PURSUIT.
HOWEVER, HE WAS NOT SO KEEN THAT HE WANTED TO CLIMB ALL THE WAY DOWN FROM HIS CASTLE TO CHURCH OPE COVE. SO HE HAD THIS HUGE CARVED STONE BATH BUILT HALFWAY BETWEEN THE CASTLE AND THE SEA. HIS SERVANTS WERE TO STRUGGLE WITH BUCKETS OF SEA WATER TO FILL IT.
JOHN PENN WAS VERY UNPOPULAR WITH PORTLAND'S GOVERNING COURT LEET. SO, THE LEET MEMBERS WATCHED AND WAITED AS THE BATH WAS BUILT.
WHEN FINISHED THEY ANNOUNCED THAT PENN HAD BUILT HIS WONDERFUL BATH ON COMMON LAND AND THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO USE IT - AN EXORBITANT 2 SHILLINGS AND 6 PENCE PER YEAR!
OUTRAGED, PENN ABANDONED HIS BATH - PROBABLY MUCH TO THE RELIEF OF HIS SERVANTS!
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HOW TO FIND PENN’S BATH
PARK IN THE CAR-PARK OPPOSITE PENNSYLVANIA CASTLE, CROSS THE ROAD (CAREFULLY!) AND FOLLOW THE FOOTPATH DOWN TO ST ANDREW'S RUINED CHURCH. GO TO THE RIGHT-HAND CORNER OF THE GRAVEYARD WHERE THERE IS A GAP IN THE WALL AND A SAFETY BAR ACROSS THE GAP.
THROUGH THIS GAP IS A DANGEROUS AND PRECIPITOUS SLOPE. KEEP TO THE RIGHT AND SKIRT THIS DROP. YOU WILL NEED TO HANG ON TIGHTLY TO TREES OR YOU WILL FALL AND COULD BE SERIOUSLY INJURED.
CONTINUE STRUGGLING THROUGH THE OVERGROWTH AND SUDDENLY - YOU WILL BE AMAZED TO FIND A LARGE STONE STRUCTURE. THE BATH AND ITS ASSOCIATED BUILDING IS BEFORE YOU!
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THE DIAGRAMS BELOW SHOW THE LARGE SIZE OF JOHN PENN'S BATH AND ASSOCIATED BUILDINGS. THESE COVER AN AREA OF 8.3 M X 5.3 M (27 FT X 17 FT). THERE WERE TWO ROOMS OTHER THAN THE ONE CONTAINING THE BATH. THEIR PURPOSE IS NOT KNOWN.
SECTION THROUGH A - B
THE ROOM TO THE EAST OF THE BATH HAS A SUBSTANTIAL DROP OF ABOUT ONE METRE (3 FT) FROM THE SURROUNDING GROUND LEVEL AND THERE IS ANOTHER DROP INTO THE BATH.
BY 2004 THESE STEPS HAD BEEN CUT TO GIVE ACCESS FROM THE GROUNDS OF PENNSYLVANIA CASTLE.
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