Fortuneswell
Coordinates: 50°33′30″N 2°26′23″W / 50.55836°N 2.43968°W
| Fortuneswell | |
 Fortuneswell
Fortuneswell shown within Dorset |
|
| OS grid reference | SY689732 |
|---|---|
| District | Weymouth and Portland |
| Shire county | Dorset |
| Region | South West |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Police | Dorset |
| Fire | Dorset |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| EU Parliament | South West England |
Fortuneswell is the largest of eight villages on the Isle of Portland, just off the coast of Dorset in the English Channel. The old fishing community village lies on steeply sloping land on the northern edge of the island (Underhill), where Chesil Beach, the tombolo which connects the island to the mainland, joins the island.
The nearby villages of Chiswell and Castletown almost merge into Fortuneswell, as they share the limited space on the northern slopes of the island. However, Fortuneswell occupies the steepest land far above sea level, whereas Castletown and Chiswell occupy flat land close to sea level, next to Portland Harbour and Chesil Beach respectively.
The village has a main shopping street with several shops, and along with Easton, Fortuneswell is the main hub of the Isle of Portland's activities.
History
The name of the village comes from an ancient well that a spring ran to from Verne Hill.[1] In 1963, the village's one way traffic system was introduced.[2]
Education
Primary education is provided for around 188 pupils by Underhill Community Junior School. The school was built of Portland Stone in 1913 and the hall was added in 1966. In 1992 the school had three new classrooms added, whilst the existing building was successfully modernised.[3][4][5][4][6] Fortuneswell also includes an Infant School while a Community Nursery was closed in 2011.
Commerce and amenities
Over the last few decades, many shops in Fortuneswell have changed hands frequently, whilst a few shops had lasted longer periods but eventually closed.
Various shops and businesses include a tailor shop, a carpet and furtniture stores, a café, a pharmacy, a post office, a fish & chip shop, a hardware store, an estate agent, a newsagent, and a hairdresser. The Portland Centre, a tourist information centre, is also located in the village, .[7]
The Britannia Inn was named after a Royal navy ship which frequently visited the dockyard, whilst the Royal Portland Arms pub was often visited by King George III.[8] The New Star Inn is also located in Fortunewell.[9] Close to the New Star Inn once stood the now gone Meissner's Knap – the Royal Hotel built by Captain Abraham Scriven in 1863, which hosted many important visitors to the breakwater works.[10]
A cinema was built during 1932. It then became a popular Bingo hall. In the 1990s the building was turned into a nightclub. The nightclub caught fire due to alleged arson and the building was demolished soon after.[citation needed]
A reminder of industry in the back streets of Fortuneswell lies an old Victorian steam laundry, built in 1900, which later housed a Defence Industry Contractor. The building was then converted into an Art Community Centre.[11][12] and was turned into the Brackenbury Centre for the public as a space for art, clubs and socialising.[13]
St. John's Church is located in the village.[14] It was built on a steep hillside in 1838-40 by John Hancock of Weymouth. According to Stuart Morris' book Portland Camera, the early vicars were both colourful and controversial characters.[15] The Underhill Methodist Church was built in 1900, found close to the village's Council offices.[11] Way's Shop, which dated back from the 18th century, closed in early 1973.[16] The Portland Underhill Library, was closed in early 2012 due to lack of volunteers wishing to run it, as well as being a cost-saving measure after consultation with community representatives.[17][18] The village is now served by a mobile library.[19]
Victoria Gardens
Located in Fortuneswell and close to the villages of Castletown and Chiswell is Victoria Gardens, which were opened in 1904 to mark the 1897 Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria. Before the gardens were created, the land was known as Little Common.[20]
Victoria Gardens features a grassed and formal bedding area, a large rockery running across the centre of the gardens, which is planted with a mixture of shrubs, perennials and bedding plants, as well as a play area, tennis courts and a bowling green.[21]
Friends of Victoria Gardens were established in May 2008 with the support of Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, to be responsible for the gardens. The Friends received £3,875 from Comma Funds to create a wooded area on a redundant area within the gardens, and the group cleared away foliage and planted thousands of Snowdrop bulbs for a future woodland area, with the help of the Chesil Cove Juniors. Once the trees have established, a path through the woodland will be created so that it can be opened up to the public.[22]
References
- ^ Morris, Stuart (1990). Portland Camera. Dovecote Press. pp. Photo 53. ISBN 978-0946159796.
- ^ Morris, Stuart (1990). Portland Camera. Dovecote Press. pp. Photo 58. ISBN 978-0946159796.
- ^ "Underhill Junior School Portland Killick". Educationbase.co.uk. 2007-08-17. Retrieved 2013-01-05.
- ^ a b "Underhill Community Junior School". Ofsted. Retrieved 2013-01-05.
- ^ http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/files/783139/urn/113711.pdf
- ^ http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/files/889945/urn/113711.pdf
- ^ "The Portland Centre - Information Services in Isle Of Portland DT5 1LZ". 192.com. Retrieved 2012-11-17.
- ^ "Fortuneswell, Portland, Dorset". Geoffkirby.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-11-17.
- ^ "New Star Inn, Portland, Dorset, DT5 1LU - pub details#". Beerintheevening.com. Retrieved 2012-11-17.
- ^ Morris, Stuart (1990). Portland Camera. Dovecote Press. pp. Photo 57. ISBN 978-0946159796.
- ^ a b "Fortuneswell, Portland, Dorset". Geoffkirby.co.uk. 1926-11-11. Retrieved 2012-11-17.
- ^ "Portland Arts Centre in Dorset | Dorset Magazine". Dorset.greatbritishlife.co.uk. 2010-01-22. Retrieved 2012-11-17.
- ^ "Brackenbury Centre opens on Portland (From Dorset Echo)". Dorsetecho.co.uk. 2012-03-07. Retrieved 2012-11-17.
- ^ A Church Near You. "Portland: St John the Baptist, Portland - Dorset | Diocese of Salisbury". Achurchnearyou.com. Retrieved 2012-11-17.
- ^ Morris, Stuart (1990). Portland Camera. Dovecote Press. pp. Photo 55. ISBN 978-0946159796.
- ^ Free Portland News February 2013 issue
- ^ "BBC News - Portland Underhill Library to shut due to lack of volunteers". Bbc.co.uk. 2012-01-28. Retrieved 2012-11-17.
- ^ "Campaigners lose Underhill Library fight (From Dorset Echo)". Dorsetecho.co.uk. 2012-01-27. Retrieved 2012-11-17.
- ^ "Mobile library will replace Portland's Underhill facility (From Dorset Echo)". Dorsetecho.co.uk. 2012-04-24. Retrieved 2012-11-17.
- ^ Morris, Stuart (1990). Portland Camera. Dovecote Press. pp. Photo 151. ISBN 978-0946159796.
- ^ "Victoria Gardens, Portland". dorsetforyou.com. Retrieved 2012-11-17.
- ^ "Friends of Victoria Gardens". dorsetforyou.com. Retrieved 2012-11-17.
