Isle of Portland
Coordinates: 50°33′00″N 2°26′24″W / 50.55, -2.44 Isle of Portland shown within Dorset
Population	12,630[1]
OS grid reference	SY690721
District	Weymouth and Portland
Shire county	Dorset
Region	South West
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Portland
Postcode district	DT5
Dial code	01305
Police	Dorset
Fire	Dorset
Ambulance	South Western
UK Parliament	South Dorset
European Parliament	South West England
List of places: UK • England • Dorset

The Isle of Portland is a 4 mile (6 km) long by 1.5 mile (2.4 km) wide limestone island in the English Channel. The isle is 5 miles (8 km) south of the resort of Weymouth, forming the southernmost point of the county of Dorset, England. The island is connected to the mainland by a large pebble tombolo, Chesil Beach, and by the A354 road bridge to Weymouth. Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 583 pixelsFull resolution (1016 × 740 pixel, file size: 130 KB, MIME type: image/png) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Wimborne Minster Bournemouth Lyme Regis Shaftesbury... Image File history File links Red_pog. ... Dorset (pronounced DOR-sit or [dÉ”.sÉ™t], and sometimes in the past called Dorsetshire) is a county in the south-west of England, on the English Channel coast. ... The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using latitude or longitude. ... The districts of England are a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government. ... Weymouth and Portland is a local government district and borough in Dorset, England. ... Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties are one of the four levels of English administrative division used for the purposes of local government. ... Dorset (pronounced DOR-sit or [dÉ”.sÉ™t], and sometimes in the past called Dorsetshire) is a county in the south-west of England, on the English Channel coast. ... The region, also known as Government Office Region, is currently the highest tier of local government subnational entity of England in the United Kingdom. ... South West England is one of the regions of England. ... Constituent countries is a phrase used, often by official institutions, in contexts in which a number of countries make up a larger entity or grouping; thus the OECD has used the phrase in reference to the former Yugoslavia[1], the Soviet Union and European institutions such as the Council of... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem No official anthem - the  United Kingdom anthem God Save the Queen is commonly used England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto) Unified  -  by Athelstan 927 AD  Area  -  Total 130... This is an alphabetical list of the sovereign states of the world, including both de jure and de facto independent states. ... A post town is a required part of all UK postal addresses. ... UK postal codes are known as postcodes. ... The DT postcode area, also known as the Dorchester postcode area[1], is a group of postal districts around Beaminster, Blandford Forum, Bridport, Dorchester, Lyme Regis, Portland, Sherborne, Sturminster Newton and Weymouth in England. ... The UK telephone numbering plan, also known as the National Numbering Plan, is regulated by the Office of Communications (Ofcom), which replaced the Office of Telecommunications (Oftel) in 2003. ... Dorset Police is the Home Office police force with the responsibility of policing the English county of Dorset. ... A Fire Appliance belonging to the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service The fire service in the United Kingdom has undergone dramatic changes since the beginning of the 21st century, a process that has been propelled by a devolution of central government powers, new legislation and a change to operational... Dorset Fire and Rescue Service is the statutory fire and rescue service for the area of Dorset, south-west England. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The South Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust is the authority responsible for providing NHS ambulance services in the counties of Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset (including the Bournemouth, Plymouth, Poole, Torbay and Isles of Scilly unitary authorities) in South West England. ... The United Kingdom House of Commons is made up of Members of Parliament (MPs). ... South Dorset is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... This is a list of Members of the European Parliament for the United Kingdom in the 2004 to 2009 session, ordered by name. ... The constituency (first used 2004) within England; Gibraltar is in the inset. ... List of cities in the United Kingdom List of towns in England Lists of places within counties List of places in Bedfordshire List of places in Berkshire List of places in Buckinghamshire List of places in Cambridgeshire List of places in Cheshire List of places in Cleveland List of places... This is a list of settlements in Dorset, England. ... A mile is a unit of length, usually used to measure distance, in a number of different systems, including Imperial units, United States customary units and Norwegian/Swedish mil. ... km redirects here. ... -1... Satellite view of the English Channel The English Channel (French: (IPA: ), the sleeve) is the part of the Atlantic Ocean that separates the island of Great Britain from northern France and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. ... Weymouth is a town in Dorset, England, situated on a sheltered bay at the mouth of the River Wey on the English Channel coast. ... The traditional counties as usually portrayed. ... Dorset (pronounced DOR-sit or [dÉ”.sÉ™t], and sometimes in the past called Dorsetshire) is a county in the south-west of England, on the English Channel coast. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem No official anthem - the  United Kingdom anthem God Save the Queen is commonly used England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto) Unified  -  by Athelstan 927 AD  Area  -  Total 130... Tombolo at Stockton Island, Ashland County (Wisconsin). ... Chesil Beach from Fortuneswell Looking west down Chesil Beach by Abbotsbury Satelite view of Chesil Beach (shown blue) and Portland Bill (Landsat image viewed using NASA World Wind software) Portland and Chesil Beach from Abbotsbury Castle A fossil from the far western end of Chesil Beach Chesil Beach (sometimes called... The A354 is a primary route in England which runs from Salisbury in Wiltshire to the Isle of Portland in Dorset. ...

The island is a central part of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, with a spectacular landscape and important ecology and bird life. Additionally, the island's name has been used for one of the British Sea Areas, and been exported as the name of several North American cities and Australian towns. High quality Portland limestone, still quarried here, has been used extensively in British architecture, and in war memorials. Lyme Bay. ... A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that has been nominated and confirmed for inclusion on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 State... The Shipping Forecast is a regular feature of BBC Radio 4 and is provided by the UK Meteorological Office. ... Portland Stone is limestone from the Jurassic period quarried on the Isle of Portland, Dorset. ...

Portland is notable for its large, deep artificial harbour which was an important Royal Navy base during World Wars One and Two, and a key Royal Navy and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) training base through until the 1990s, though now a small civilian port and popular recreation area. England's National Sailing Academy is situated at the harbour and will host all of the sailing events for the London-based 2012 Olympics. Two RIBs at Castletown, Portland Harbour Portland Harbour is located beside the Isle of Portland, off Dorset, on the south coast of England. ... The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore the Senior Service). ... “The Great War ” redirects here. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... NATO 2002 Summit in Prague The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, the Atlantic Alliance or the Western Alliance, is an international organisation for collective security established in 1949, in support of the North Atlantic Treaty signed in Washington, DC, on 4 April 1949. ... The Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy is a centre for the sport of sailing on the south coast of England. ... The 2012 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXX Olympiad, will be held in London, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012. ...

History

A map of the Isle of Portland from 1937

Portland has been inhabited since at least the Mesolithic period. There is strong evidence of Mesolithic inhabitants near Portland Bill, and of all ages since. The island was occupied by the Romans, who reputedly called the Island "Vindelis".^[2] One of England's best-loved authors Thomas Hardy called Portland "The Isle of Slingers", as it is well documented that the inhabitants were expert stone-throwers in the defence of their island. He also named it "The Gibraltar of the North", as a reference to the island's similarities with Gibraltar; its physical geography, isolation, mild climate and Underhill's winding streets. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 576 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (767 × 798 pixel, file size: 133 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Reproduced from the 1937 OS map File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 576 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (767 × 798 pixel, file size: 133 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Reproduced from the 1937 OS map File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The Mesolithic (Greek mesos=middle and lithos=stone or the Middle Stone Age[1]) was a period in the development of human technology between the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods of the Stone Age. ... Motto Senatus Populusque Romanus (SPQR) The Roman Empire at its greatest extent. ... Thomas Hardy Thomas Hardy, OM (2 June 1840 – 11 January 1928) — an English novelist, short story writer, and poet of the naturalist movement — delineated characters struggling against their passions and circumstances. ...

Portland is recorded in an Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and the Annals of St. Neots as the site of the earliest Viking raid on mainland England in the year 789. Portland Castle was built by Henry VIII in 1539 in response to attacks by France, and cost £4,964 to construct. The castle is one of the best-preserved castles from this period of British history. It is administered by English Heritage and is open to the public. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is a collection of annals narrating the history of the Anglo-Saxons and their settlement in Great Britain. ... The term Viking commonly denotes the ship-borne warriors and traders of Norsemen (literally, men from the north) who originated in Scandinavia and raided the coasts of Britain, Ireland and mainland Europe as far east as the Volga River in Russia from the late 8th–11th century. ... Portland Castle is one of the Device Forts built in 1539 by Henry VIII on the Isle of Portland to guard the superb natural Portland anchorage. ... Henry VIII (28 June 1491 - 28 January 1547) was King of England and Lord of Ireland, later King of Ireland, from 22 April 1509 until his death. ... ISO 4217 Code GBP User(s) United Kingdom, Crown Dependencies Inflation 2. ... Pierrefonds Castle, France. ... English Heritage is a United Kingdom government body with a broad remit of managing the historic environment of England. ...

The island is an ancient Royal Manor, recorded as "being held by the king" in the Domesday Book, and until the 19th century remained a separate liberty within the county for administrative purposes. It was the crown who opened many of the quarries which make Portland famous. After the Great Fire of London Christopher Wren used six million tons of white Portland limestone to rebuild much of London, and some well-known buildings which are built of Portland stone, including St Paul's Cathedral^[3] and the eastern front of Buckingham Palace^[4] in London, and the headquarters of the United Nations in New York City. After World War I a dedicated quarry was opened to provide stone for the Whitehall Cenotaph and half a million gravestones.^[5] A further 800,000 gravestones were carved after World War II. Portland stone is still used to renovate and expand some of the world's most prestigious buildings, a recent example being the British Museum. The very popular Portland Cement is not manufactured here. The strong cement mix was a German invention, and was named Portland Cement due to its similar colour to the even then famous Portland limestone when mixed with lime and sand. A Royal Manor is an area of land in the UK owned by royalty, such as the present monarch, the Prince of Wales, a Duke/Duchess or a Lord. ... A line drawing entitled Domesday Book from Andrew Williamss Historic Byways and Highways of Old England. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... A Liberty was a local government unit in England. ... A dimension stone quarry. ... Detail of painting from 1666 of the Great Fire of London by an unknown artist, depicting the fire as it would have appeared on the evening of Tuesday, 4 September from a boat in the vicinity of Tower Wharf. ... Sir Christopher Wren, (20 October 1632–25 February 1723) was a 17th century English designer, astronomer, geometrician, and the greatest English architect of his time. ... Portland Stone is limestone from the Jurassic period quarried on the Isle of Portland, Dorset. ... The Cenotaph, in Whitehall, London, England, is made from Portland stone Portland stone is limestone from the Jurassic period quarried on the Isle of Portland, Dorset. ... This article is about the cathedral church of the diocese of London. ... Buckingham Palace and the Victoria Memorial. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... The foundation of the U.N. The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate co-operation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress and human rights issues. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... “The Great War ” redirects here. ... Whitehall, London, looking south towards the Houses of Parliament. ... The Cenotaph, London A ceremony at the Cenotaph, London, on Sunday 12th June 2005, remembering Irish war dead Memorial Cenotaph, Hiroshima, Japan A cenotaph is a tomb or a monument erected in honor of a person or group of persons whose remains are elsewhere. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... The British Museum in London is one of the worlds greatest museums of human history and culture. ...

One of Portland's disused quarries at Tout is now an internationally known sculpture park and nature reserve, with an amazing variety of sculptures. Many famous sculptors including Antony Gormley have produced work there.

Portland harbour, at 2,130 acres (9 km²), is one of the largest man-made harbours in the world, and the second deepest. The harbour and Weymouth Bay have an unusual feature: a double low tide, caused by the time it takes for high tide to round the island, and its tidal race at the Bill. The first stone of the Breakwaters was laid by Prince Albert in 1849, and the last stone of the first phase by Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, in 1872. The breakwaters were constructed mainly by civilian contractors but all the stone was quarried by convicts. 22 men lost their lives during its construction. The breakwaters contain 5,731,376 tons of stone and cost, in 1871, £1,167,852. The final cost was much higher. The sculpture park, Isle of Portland, Dorset. ... The sculpture park, Isle of Portland, Dorset. ... Angel of the North Antony Gormley (born 1950) is an English sculptor, best known as the creator of Angel of the North, a public sculpture in Gateshead. ... Two RIBs at Castletown, Portland Harbour Portland Harbour is located beside the Isle of Portland, off Dorset, on the south coast of England. ... An acre is the name of a unit of area in a number of different systems, including Imperial units and United States customary units. ... Square kilometre (US spelling: Square kilometer), symbol km², is an SI unit of surface area. ... A harbor (or harbour) or haven is a place where ships may shelter from the weather or are stored. ... Weymouth Bay is a sheltered bay on the South Coast of England, in Dorset. ... High Tide was a band that was formed in 1969 by Tony Hill (guitar, keyboards, and vocals), Simon House (violin and keyboards), Pete Pavli (bass) and Roger Hadden (drums). ... Tidal race occurs when the movement of water due to the tide is particularly fast in a location. ... Breakwaters create safe harbors, but can also trap sediment moving along the coast. ... Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (Francis Charles Augustus Albert Emmanuel, of the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha branch of the House of Wettin) (26 August 1819 - 14 December 1861) was the husband and consort of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. ... Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, King of the Commonwealth Realms, and the Emperor of India. ... The Prince of Wales Feathers. This Heraldic badge of the Heir Apparent is derived from the ostrich feathers borne by Edward, the Black Prince. ... A long ton is the name used in the US for the unit called the ton in the avoirdupois or Imperial system of measurements, as used (alongside the metric system) in the United Kingdom and to some extent in other Commonwealth countries. ... GBP may be: short for Game Boy Player the ISO currency code for the British Pound Sterling. ...

The island and its harbour were home to much of the Royal Navy during World War II, and because of this the island was heavily bombed. To protect the harbour from torpedo and submarine attack, HMS Hood (1891) was sunk in the Southern Ship Passage between the southern two breakwaters. Much of the naval base closed at the end of the Cold War in 1995, and the Royal Naval Air Station closed in 1998. The island is still home to HM Prison the Verne and HMYOI Portland, and the harbour contains Britain's only prison ship, HMP Weare, closed during 2005, but still berthed in the port. The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore the Senior Service). ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... The second warship to be named HMS Hood was a modified Royal Sovereign-class battleship of the Royal Navy, and the last of the eight built. ... For other uses, see Cold War (disambiguation). ... HMYOI is an abbreviation for Her Majestys Young Offender Institution. ... A prison police boat on its way in Venice A prison ship is a boat or ship that is used as a prison. ... HMP Weare is a prison ship berthed in Portland Harbour in Dorset, England. ...

Settlements

Terraced Portland Stone houses in Fortuneswell, Underhill

The island of Portland comprises several distinct settlements, the largest being Fortuneswell and Easton. The other villages are Weston, Southwell, Castletown, Chiswell, Wakeham and the Grove. Fortuneswell, Chiswell and Castletown are at the north end of the island and occupy a steeply-sloping area of land called Underhill. Easton, Weston, Southwell, the Grove and Wakeham are relatively flat, as they occupy the top of the island, atop the slab of Portland limestone. This area is known as Tophill. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1000x669, 458 KB) Summary I took this myself at Fortuneswell, Dorset, UK Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1000x669, 458 KB) Summary I took this myself at Fortuneswell, Dorset, UK Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Map sources for Fortuneswell at grid reference SY685734 Chesil Beach from the hill above Fortuneswell, with much of the village in the foreground. ... Easton is the second largest of eight villages on the Isle of Portland in Dorset, England. ... Map sources for Weston, Dorset at grid reference SY684712 Weston is a village in Tophill on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, England. ... Southwell is a small coastal village in Tophill on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, between the town of Easton and Portland Bill. ... Castletown is a small village in Underhill on the Isle of Portland in Dorset. ... Chiswell (pronounced Chesil, Chis-well, or Chisel, sometimes called Chesilton) is a small fishing village next to Chesil Beach, in Underhill, on the Isle of Portland in Dorset, England. ... Wakeham is a small village near the town of Easton, in Tophill on the Isle of Portland in Dorset, England. ... The Grove is a new shopping mall in Los Angeles next to the famous Farmers Market. ... Underhill is the name given to the area of land at the northern end of the Isle of Portland in Dorset, England, which is very steep and contains the villages of Chiswell, Castletown and Fortuneswell. ... Map sources for Tophill at grid reference SY692723 Tophill is a gently sloping area of land on the Isle of Portland in Dorset, England. ...

The vast majority of houses and buildings (almost all older buildings) on the island are built out of Portland Stone blocks, so Portland houses tend to all look similar, and have similar layouts, and have quite thick (30-60cm) walls, which were governed by the culture and living standards at the time in which they were built. Some houses have been painted, whilst most retain the yellow-grey colour of the stone, giving the Island a unique character. The Cenotaph, in Whitehall, London, England, is made from Portland stone Portland stone is limestone from the Jurassic period quarried on the Isle of Portland, Dorset. ...

Politics and Demographics

Weymouth and Portland shown within Dorset

The island is an ancient Royal Manor, and until the 19th century remained a separate liberty within the county for administrative purposes. The entire Isle constituted a single urban district from 1894 to 1974, when it became part of the Weymouth and Portland borough. The district of Weymouth and Portland was formed on April 1, 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, and was a merger between the nearby borough of Weymouth and Melcombe Regis and the Portland urban district. Image File history File links DorsetWeymouthPortland. ... Image File history File links DorsetWeymouthPortland. ... A Royal Manor is an area of land in the UK owned by royalty, such as the present monarch, the Prince of Wales, a Duke/Duchess or a Lord. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... A Liberty was a local government unit in England. ... In the British Isles an urban district was a type of local government district which covered an urbanised area. ... Weymouth and Portland is a local government district and borough in Dorset, England. ...

The Mayor of Weymouth and Portland is Howard Legg, with David Harris as Deputy Mayor, who are both members of the Liberal Democrats.^[6] Weymouth and Portland and Purbeck districts are in the Dorset South constituency, created in 1885. The constituency elects one Member of Parliament. The current MP for Dorset South is Jim Knight (Labour), who is currently Minister of State for Schools. A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning larger, greater) is the modern title of the highest ranking municipal officer. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Purbeck is a local government district in Dorset, England, named for the Isle of Purbeck. ... Local government areas called districts are used, or have been used, in several countries. ... Dorset South is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... A constituency is any cohesive corporate unit or body bound by shared structures, goals or loyalty. ... A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a parliament. ... James Knight known as Jim Knight (born 6 March 1965, Bexley) is a British politician for the Labour Party who has been a Member of Parliament since 2001. ... The Labour Party has been, since its founding in the early 20th century, the principal political party of the left in England, Scotland and Wales. ... Minister of State is a title borne by officials in certain countries governed under the parliamentary system. ...

In 2004 Portland's population was 12,630; the island population has remained between twelve and thirteen thousand since the 1970s.^[1] In 2005 there were 5,390 dwellings on the entire island. The population is almost entirely of native English origin, with 96.8% of residents being of White British background.^[1] Portland house prices are lower than in Weymouth, but still relatively high by UK standards, and around average for most of the south of England. The average price of a detached house in 2005 was £215,196, with an average terraced house costing £149,825.^[1] Northern European single-family home // Overview A single-family home is a free-standing residential building, generally found in less dense urban areas, the suburbs of cities, the exurban region, and rural areas. ... A street of British Victorian/Edwardian terraced homes. ...

The island’s crime rates are below that of nearby Weymouth, and the United Kingdom average – with 8.7 burglaries per 1000 people in 2004 and 2005. The equivalent rate in Weymouth is 13.4 per 1000, which is slightly higher than that of South West England (10.7 per 1000) but lower than the England and Wales average of 14.4 per 1000. The island's unemployment rate is also very low, at 1.1% of the economically active population in 2005.^[1] South West England is one of the regions of England. ...

Climate

Satellite view of Portland and south Dorset - Portland is surrounded by the sea, with the prevailing wind from the south west.

Portland has a rather milder and sunnier climate compared to most of Britain. This is because the prevailing wind is from the southwest, which brings warm air from the tropics, and clear skies from over the sea. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (940x912, 372 KB) Summary Screenshot from World Wind software displaying NASA Landsat imagery. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (940x912, 372 KB) Summary Screenshot from World Wind software displaying NASA Landsat imagery. ...

In summer, the area around Weymouth and Portland receives little rain and has few clouds compared to the rest of Britain, being in the "rain shadow" of Dartmoor, with the prevailing southwesterly wind bringing clearer skies from over the sea. It is far enough east to be less affected by the Atlantic storms that Devon and Cornwall experience. High Willhays, the highest point on Dartmoor and southern England at 621 m (2037 ft) above sea level, with Yes Tor beyond. ... “Devonshire” redirects here. ... Cornwall (pronounced ; Cornish: ) is a county in south-west England, United Kingdom, on the peninsula that lies to the west of the River Tamar and Devon. ...

Due to the ameliorating effect of the warm seas which surround the island, in winter frost is rare: on average 8 times a year.^[7] Days with snow lying are equally rare: on average 0 to 6 days a year.^[8] Almost all winters have 0 or 1 days with snow lying; it may snow or sleet a few times in a winter, yet snow almost never settles on the ground. The island, along with other coastal areas in the south west, experience the mildest winters in the UK.^[9] The borough's growing season lasts from 9 to 12 months a year.

Due to its location in the south west of England, Portland has a temperate climate with a small variation in daily and annual temperatures. The average annual mean temperature on Portland from years 1971 to 2000 was 10.2 to 12 °C. The warmest month is July, with a maximum average temperature range of 12 °C to 21.7 °C. The coolest month is February, with a maximum average temperature range of 1.9 °C to 9.9 °C.^[10] The borough of Weymouth and Portland, along with the rest of the South Coast, often has has the sunniest weather in Britain.^[11] The island averaged 1768 hours of sunshine annually between the years 1971 and 2000, and between 1990 and 2005 there were five years in which Portland had over 2000 hours, a rare event in the UK.^[12] Portland's average annual rainfall is below UK average at 743 mm (see rainfall in the United Kingdom for comparisons). In geography, temperate latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. ... Celsius is, or relates to, the Celsius temperature scale (previously known as the centigrade scale). ... Average maximum, minimum and range of monthly air temperatures recorded in Campinas, Brazil, between January 2001 and July 2006 Average maximum, minimum and range of monthly air temperatures recorded in Aracaju, state of Sergipe, Brazil, between January 2001 and July 2006 Temperature range is the numerical difference between the minimum... Celsius is, or relates to, the Celsius temperature scale (previously known as the centigrade scale). ... A millimetre (American spelling: millimeter, symbol mm) is an SI unit of length that is equal to one thousandth of a metre. ... The current climate of the United Kingdom is classified as temperate, with warm summers, cool winters and plentiful precipitation throughout the year. ...

Celsius is, or relates to, the Celsius temperature scale (previously known as the centigrade scale). ... Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after the German physicist Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736), who proposed it in 1724. ... The hour (symbol: h) is a unit of time. ... A millimetre (American spelling: millimeter, symbol mm) is an SI unit of length that is equal to one thousandth of a metre. ... An inch (plural: inches; symbol or abbreviation: in or, sometimes, ″ - a double prime) is the name of a unit of length in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ...

Portland Bill and the Race

The island is unusual in that it is connected to the mainland by the Chesil Beach tombolo, and Portland is therefore often incorrectly referred to as a peninsula or tombolo - it is properly referred to as an island, as Chesil Beach is the tombolo, not Portland. Chesil Beach from Fortuneswell Looking west down Chesil Beach by Abbotsbury Satelite view of Chesil Beach (shown blue) and Portland Bill (Landsat image viewed using NASA World Wind software) Portland and Chesil Beach from Abbotsbury Castle A fossil from the far western end of Chesil Beach Chesil Beach (sometimes called... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Tombolo at Stockton Island, Ashland County (Wisconsin). ...

Portland Bill lighthouse and Visitors Centre

Portland Bill should not be confused with the Isle of Portland. Portland Bill is a narrow promontory (or bill) of Portland stone which forms the most southerly part of Tophill. The Bill has a lighthouse, as it is an important waypoint for coastal traffic passing the navigation obstacle caused by the Isle and its Race. Refurbished in 1996, the lighthouse is now entirely computer controlled. There is a visitor centre with information about the lighthouse and its history, and guided tours of the lighthouse are available. Two earlier lighthouses stand slightly further inland, one of which is now an important bird observatory used by ornithologists, providing a long term (over 50 years) record of bird migration and accommodation for visiting birdwatchers. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1650x1364, 51 KB)Personal photograph taken by Mick Knapton on June 29th 2005. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1650x1364, 51 KB)Personal photograph taken by Mick Knapton on June 29th 2005. ... The term promontory has several similar meanings in English, including geographical names: A promontory is a prominent mass of land which overlooks lower lying land or a body of water (e. ... Look up bill in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The Cenotaph, in Whitehall, London, England, is made from Portland stone Portland stone is limestone from the Jurassic period quarried on the Isle of Portland, Dorset. ... Map sources for Tophill at grid reference SY692723 Tophill is a gently sloping area of land on the Isle of Portland in Dorset, England. ... A HDR image of a traditional lighthouse For other uses, see Lighthouse (disambiguation). ... Table of geography, hydrography, and navigation, from the 1728 Cyclopaedia. ... Ornithology (from the Greek ornis = bird and logos = word/science) is the branch of zoology concerned with the scientific study of birds. ...

The tidal race to the south of Portland Bill is caused by the Portland Ledge (the Shambles), a 10 metre (33 ft) deep, 1.3 nautical mile (2 km) long, underwater extension of the island into the English Channel at a place where the general depth of Channel is usually 20 metres (66 ft) to 40 metres (131 ft). The current only stops for brief periods during the twelve and half hour tidal cycle and can reach 7 knots (4 m/s) at the spring tide of around 2 metres (7 ft). Tidal race occurs when the movement of water due to the tide is particularly fast in a location. ... The metre or meter is a measure of length. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... A nautical mile or sea mile is a unit of length. ... km redirects here. ... Satellite view of the English Channel The English Channel (French: (IPA: ), the sleeve) is the part of the Atlantic Ocean that separates the island of Great Britain from northern France and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. ... A knot is a unit of speed abbreviated kt or kn. ... Metre per second (U.S. spelling: meter per second) is an SI derived unit of both speed (scalar) and velocity (vector), defined by distance in metres divided by time in seconds. ...

Sport and Recreation

Fortuneswell and Portland Harbour, seen from The Verne. The Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy is on the left.

In 2000, the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy was constructed in Osprey Quay on the northern tip of Portland as a centre for sailing in the United Kingdom. Weymouth and Portland's waters have been credited by the Royal Yachting Association as amongst the best in Northern Europe.^[13] Weymouth and Portland regularly host local, national and international sailing events in its waters. These events include the J/24 World Championships in 2005, staging trials for the 2004 Athens Olympics, the ISAF World Championship 2006, the BUSA Fleet Racing Championships, and the RYA Youth National Championships.^[14] Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2860x1930, 3990 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Isle of Portland User:Steinsky/photos Weymouth Portland Harbour Fortuneswell Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy Castletown, Dorset... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2860x1930, 3990 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Isle of Portland User:Steinsky/photos Weymouth Portland Harbour Fortuneswell Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy Castletown, Dorset... Two RIBs at Castletown, Portland Harbour Portland Harbour is located beside the Isle of Portland, off Dorset, on the south coast of England. ... The Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy is a centre for the sport of sailing on the south coast of England. ... The Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy is a centre for the sport of sailing on the south coast of England. ... Weymouth Bay is a sheltered bay on the South Coast of England, in Dorset. ... World map showing the location of Europe. ...

In 2005, the WPNSA was selected to host sailing events at the 2012 Olympic Games. The main reason that the island was chosen to host these events was the fact that the Sailing Academy had only recently been built, so no new venue would need to be provided. However, as part of the South West of England Regional Development Agency's plans to redevelop Osprey Quay, in which the Academy is built, a new 600 berth marina and an extension with more on-site facilities will be built by around 2008.^[15] The 2012 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXX Olympiad, will be held in London, United Kingdom from 27 July 2012 to 12 August 2012. ... The South West of England Regional Development Agency is the agency for development of regions in the South West of England. ...

In addition to sailing, the waters of Weymouth Bay and Portland Harbour are frequently a venue for other water sports. The reliable sailing wind is also very favourable for windsurfing and kitesurfing. The more sheltered waters of Portland Harbour and nearer Weymouth are used regularly for angling, diving to several shipwrecks, snorkelling, canoeing, jet skiing, water skiing, and swimming.^[16] Weymouth Bay is a sheltered bay on the South Coast of England, in Dorset. ... Two RIBs at Castletown, Portland Harbour Portland Harbour is located beside the Isle of Portland, off Dorset, on the south coast of England. ... A windsurfer with modern gear tilts the rig and carves the board to perform a planing gybe (downwind turn) close to shore in Maui, Hawaii, one of the popular destinations for windsurfing. ... Kitesurfers use inflatable kites tethered to harnesses to glide through water and air Kitesurfing, also known as kite surfing, fly surfing, and kiteboarding, involves using a power kite to pull the rider through the water on a small surfboard, a wakeboard, or a kiteboard. ... Angling is a method of fishing, specifically the practice of catching fish by means of an angle (hook). ... For other uses, see Dive. ... Snorkeling is the practice of swimming at the surface of a body of water (typically of the sea) equipped with a mask and a short tube called a snorkel, to explore the underwater environment. ... Canoeing is the recreational or sporting activity of paddling a canoe or kayak. ... Jet ski is the brand name of Kawasaki Heavy Industries personal water craft. ... Recreational skiiers typically use two skis — other techniques abound. ... This article concentrates on human swimming. ...

The island is an important destination for rock climbing. Sport climbing with bolt protection is the prevailing style. There are areas of bouldering and deep water soloing. ^[17] Climbers on Valkyrie at the Roaches. ... Sport climbing is a style of rock climbing that relies on permanent anchors fixed to the rock, especially bolts, for protection. ... A climber with a crash pad on the ground. ...

Trivia

Locally rabbits are associated with bad luck, and as such use of the name is taboo with them often being referred to as "Underground Mutton", "bunnies", "Long-Eared Furry Things" or "Wilfreds". The fear of the word rabbit is popularly believed to derive from workers in the Isle's famous quarries, as they would often see rabbits emerging from their burrows immediately before a rock fall, and that the rabbits' burrowing was often blamed for increasing the risk of such dangerous (and sometimes deadly) landslides. In past times when the quarrying was done by hand, if a rabbit was seen in the area, the quarry man would pack up and go home for the day, until the safety of the area had been confirmed. There were instances of cave-ins, and once a crane-operator died when his crane toppled due to weak ground over rabbit burrows. The less heard of theory is that of the word 'Rabbits!' being shouted through the streets upon imminent fear of invasion by the French, meaning 'every man and woman for themselves'. Even today many older generation Portlanders will be offended or go quiet at the mention of the word rabbit. Genera Pentalagus Bunolagus Nesolagus Romerolagus Brachylagus Sylvilagus Oryctolagus Poelagus Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world. ... This article is about good and bad fortune. ... This article is about cultural prohibitions in general, for other uses, see Taboo (disambiguation). ... A burrow is a hole or tunnel dug into the ground by an animal to create a space suitable for habitation, temporary refuge, or as a byproduct of locomotion. ... Landslide of soil and regolith in Pakistan A landslide is a geological phenomenon which includes a wide range of ground movement, such as rock falls, deep failure of slopes and shallow debris flows. ... A modern crawler type derrick crane with outriggers. ...

This superstition came to national attention in October 2005 when a special batch of advertisement posters were made for the Wallace and Gromit film, The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. In respect of the local belief the promoters omitted the word 'rabbit' and replaced the film's title with the phrase, "Something bunny is going on". [1] [2] The number 13 is often avoided in public buildings, also floors, doors and this Santa Anita Park horse stall. ... German three sheet movie poster for Metropolis. ... Wallace and Gromit Wallace and Gromit are the main characters in a series of three British animated short films, a series of ten short animated sequences, and a feature-length film by Nick Park of Aardman Animations. ...

In literature

There is another piece of trivia that relates to this small island, the literary conjecture that Portland was once the Isle of the Dead, a place of internal exile hundreds of years ago, where the causeway was guarded to keep the 'dead' (some of them being insane) from crossing the Fleet and returning back to Britain. This is not archaeological fact, but mere conjecture based on Bernard Cornwell's 1990s books The Warlord Chronicles. The Isle of the Dead is associated with pre-Christian Celtic mythology and occurs as a theme in a number of European countries. ... Chesil Beach from Fortuneswell Chesil Beach (sometimes called Chesil Bank) is a 18 mile (29km) long, 200 metre wide and 18 metre high shingle tombolo in Dorset, southern England. ... Bernard Cornwell OBE (born February 23, 1944) is a prolific and popular English historical novelist. ... The Warlord Chronicles is a trilogy of books written by Bernard Cornwell about Arthurian Britain. ...

In Thomas Hardy's fictionalised version of Wessex, the Isle of Portland was known as the Isle of Slingers. The "Isle of Slingers" is heavily based on Portland, with Street of Wells representing Fortuneswell and The Beal as Portland Bill. Thomas Hardy Thomas Hardy, OM (2 June 1840 – 11 January 1928) — an English novelist, short story writer, and poet of the naturalist movement — delineated characters struggling against their passions and circumstances. ... Map of the British Isles circa 802 Wessex was one of the seven major Anglo-Saxon kingdoms (the Heptarchy) that preceded the Kingdom of England. ...

References

For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... December 6 is the 340th day of the year (341st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 93rd day of the year (94th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 93rd day of the year (94th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 93rd day of the year (94th in