Portland Stone
Portland stone has been quarried from the Isle of Portland for centuries, but in fact the Isle of Portland is not really an island. Geographically, it is termed as a peninsula, derived from the Latin word pæninsula, meaning 'almost island'. The Isle of Portland is a rock outcrop formed from a block of limestone, 4 miles by 1 ½ miles, that protrudes from the Dorset coast into the English Channel. It is only joined to the mainland by a narrow strip of land and the Chesil beach.
Chesil Beach, Isle of Portland
The first ever recorded use of Portland stone was over a thousand years ago, and since then it has been used extensively by many illustrious architects for elegant and prestigious buildings world-wide. In 1300 ten shillings was paid for Portland stone to be used at Exeter Cathedral in the neighbouring county of Devon. Inigo Jones, Surveyor General of the Kings Works under James I, had used Portland stone before the Civil War. However, it was Christopher Wren who popularised its use with the rebuilding of London after the Great Fire in 1666. St Paul's, and some fifty other churches and buildings, were constructed using the finest Portland stone. In total, a breathtaking six millions tonnes were used in the restoration of London! With the use of the stone extending from St Paul's Cathedral in London to the United Nations Headquarters in New York, Portland owes its international importance to this valuable building stone.
St. Paul's Cathedral, London
This history of the area can be traced back almost 7, 000 years. The Romans knew it as Vindilis and Thomas Hardy refers to it as 'The Isle of Slingers', due to the fact that Portlanders used to throw stones to keep strangers away. During medieval times however, Portland wasn't noted for its stone but its agriculture. It was an island inhabited by farmers and fishermen and in William I's Domesday Book of 1086, nine hundred sheep are recorded on Portland. In fact, Portland mutton was famed throughout England.
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Last updated:
16 January, 2008