PORTLAND PATHWAYS PROJECT along the cliffs and go underneath walk to quarries, the through walk to island, the wander to “Freedom means to me being able the cliffs”. Skylark Durston Many of the footpaths and bridleways we use today have their origins in routes travelled hundreds or thousands of years ago – these routes are now enshrined in our public rights of way. They not only record how we have navigated our landscape in the past, telling stories of our landscape and built environment but also provide public access to landscapes and historic sites which otherwise may not be possible.

THE STORY OF PORTLANDS PATHWAYS Pathways evolve over time, their courses fields. These fields were split into constantly evolving and responding to broad strips called ‘furlongs ‘and then changing needs and priorities. Linking sub divided into narrower strip fields places such as homes and workplaces of an acre. Each of these acres was they were originally created by the act known as a ‘lawn’, and the earth baulks of walking, their meandering routes that separated them were known as responding to terrain, territory, and ‘lynchets’, or ‘lawnsheds’. This intricate obstacles on route. system of lawnsheds led to an equally complex network of pathways and There is evidence of habitation on tracks, involving generations of unofficial Portland from the earliest times with agreements and arrangements between finds dating from the late Palaeolithic neighbours and relatives for access to period, and significantly, the discovery of each other’s land. 01 a Mesolithic settlement site close to the sea near Portland Bill. The occupants In addition to the fields were large here were semi-sedentary, and survived areas of common land, mainly the by gathering molluscs and used Chert, slopes of the Weares and Verne Hill, a form of flint, collected from exposures much of it used for sheep grazing. in the cliffs for their stone tools. These The Sturt (near Portland Bill) and the archaeological finds build a picture of area around Southwell were also the importance of access to the coast particularly important areas for sheep for these Mesolithic islanders, and point rearing. Flocks were shepherded to the probable use of pathways down to these common grazing lands on to, and around the coast of Portland and a daily basis and routes, wide enough the daily ritual of collecting fresh water for herding animals, became established from the nearby spring at Culver Well. on the areas of common land between the villages. The wide streets of the From the mid-1st to the 4th century AD, Tophill area of Portland reflect the there is significant evidence of Roman need to move animals between areas settlements on Portland, with various of grassland and to the large ponds burial sites and stone sarcophagi dating that were once significant features of from that period found across the Island. Weston, Easton and Southwell. 02 It is during this period that many of the present day villages were originally Portland’s agricultural land was established, including Fortuneswell, enclosed much later in the 19th Chiswell and Castletown, Easton, Century compared to the rest of Dorset. Weston and Southwell. All sited close to Nevertheless Enclosure Acts meant sources of water. The pathways, which the system of open fields and common evolved connecting these settlements, lands profoundly changed. Pathways remained largely unchanged up until the were officially delineated and previously 19th Century due to the topography of informal tracks were formalised into the island. walled lanes as the land either side was enclosed. This network of tracks and Portland was once an agricultural pathways used for walking, animals and landscape with fields of crops and wheeled transport eventually evolved grazing sheep. In Saxon times the land into the present road system and network was divided into six large open of footpaths we use today. 03 SHEEP THE COURT LEET There were various offices of the Court Leet, The importance of sheep farming is evident Originally a Saxon authority the Court Leet one being the Reeve. It was the job of the from local place names such as Sheepcroft, still exists on Portland today. The Court Leet Reeve to collect a quit rent of 3d per acre on Shepherds Croft, Mutton Cove, Wool lane, manages the common land on Portland and behalf of the Crown. The ownership of land Wool Meadow and the pathway known as at one time monitored the use of land, making was recorded on a Reeve Staff, a wooden pole Shepherd’s Dinner. At its peak in 1840 there sure that individuals stuck to the rules - marked with notches for each acre owned. were four flocks of 1,000 sheep each, which dealing with issues of wandering sheep and Different areas of the island were depicted with roamed Portland. The increase in quarrying on challenging any attempts to enclose land or different symbols 04 the island saw their decline with the final flock harvest at the wrong time. leaving Portland in 1920.

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PONDS 03 The settlements of Portland evolved around small watercourses, which fed into ponds. The villages of Easton, Weston and Southwell had large ponds used for communal watering and washing. As Portland’s water supply became inadequate to serve a growing population, water was piped from the mainland and the ponds filled in and incorporated into the road system.

04 02 This map shows present day rights

CHISWELL of way overlaid on a base map CASTLETOWN indicating roads, pathways and former rail and tramways as recorded on 1888 map of Portland. Field patterns and names are based on EASTON research by Stuart Morris, sourced from old maps and other documents. THE VERNE CHISWELL CITADEL

FORTUNESWELL TOPHILL AND UNDERHILL NICODEMUS KNOB WAKEHAM ROTOR BUNKER NICODEMUS The topography of Portland has Stone stack indicating former ground HIGH ANGLE KNOB BATTERY determined much of its development. level, illustrating just how much stone The extremely steep hill between the has been excavated. lower clay slopes of the northern end WESTON and the high limestone plateau created RAILWAYS AND TRAMWAYS a natural divide that impacted on social The pathways we see today on the East THE OLD and practical aspects of living and Weares are closely related not only to the ENGINE SHED working on the Island. The lower villages railways, but also to the original routes SOUTHWELL THE GROVE are collectively referred to as Underhill used to ship stone from Durdle and and those on top as Tophill. Folly Piers. Traces of the infrastructure for these routes can still be seen in THE POUND places, particularly the Merchants Incline On the wide verge at Weston is a route from Tophill quarries down to THE POUND ST GEORGE’S walled enclosure in which sheep and Castletown. CHURCH EASTON cattle found unlawfully grazing on common land would be impounded by LAWNSHEDS BLACKNOR the Court Leet. It was dismantled and At the Bill area can still be seen the FORT RAILWAYS AND reconstructed on the current site remains of the Saxon land management in 1946 to make way for Pound Piece system of multiple strip fields, known on WINDMILL TRAMWAYS housing estate. Portland as lawnsheds. The lawnsheds WINDMILL WAKEHAM are actually the earth baulks between RUFUS CASTLE WESTON PENNSYLVANIA CASTLE PIXIES the cultivated ‘lawns’, enabling access. ST ANDREWS RUIN There are many Portland stories of fairies These lawns were used to grow a range or “pexies” racing along the lawnsheds of carefully controlled crops, including looking for places to hold their revels. wheat, potatoes, barley, oats and peas. The wall running along the road to Chene PIXIES is said to be one of their haunts. GAVELKIND The large number of these land CULVERWELL MESOLITHIC strips reflects the impact of the system SITE of inheritance on Portland, known as SOUTHWELL Dating from 7500-8500 years ago, the gavelkind, which stipulated that the main feature of this site is a large floor of property of the deceased was divided limestone slabs laid on top of a rubbish equally between all children regardless dump of shells - the first known evidence of age or gender. This led to many in England for the use of Portland stone individuals owning very small areas for building purposes. The site is open to of land. It also meant that, unlike the the public on certain dates. For details mainland, women owned property in their PRESENT DAY PUBLIC see portlandarchaeology.weebly.com own right and had no need to marry. LIGHTHOUSE CULVER RIGHT OF WAY WELL FORMER PONDS LIGHTHOUSE

CULVERWELL TRACK OR PATH MESOLITHIC SITE FORMER RAILWAY

FORMER TRAMWAY LAWNSHEDS

LIGHTHOUSE

PORTLAND BILL More information about the project and the history of Portland’s paths can be Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 found in The Portland Pathways Research Report available at b-side.org.uk WINDMILLS around them continued to be harvested up fitted with ‘yeat’ stones. These were slotted The ruins of two medieval Windmills still stand until the 1970s. The mills have increasingly stone posts fitted with removable wooden bars today to the south of Easton, on what was fallen into disrepair - the timber components designed to contain animals but also allow originally known as ‘Haylands’ or ‘Droopfield’. of the windshaft and sailstock can be seen in access when needed. Eventually replaced by “These landslides have ever been one of the The windmills themselves probably ceased Portland Museum. 05 standard walls and gates, many of these yeat to operate around the 1890s, due to cheap stones can still be found today, marking the terrors hanging over us during long spells mass produced flour and bread being readily YEAT STONES edges of Portland’s pathways. available via the Island’s modern rail and As the islands lands were gradually enclosed of wet weather; for our old people can mind road links to Weymouth. However the fields many of the common grazing meadows were so many; and tell us how they carried away the roadways and piers; till, some day, maybe all Portland will slide into the sea - unless the Day of Doom should come first.” Elizabeth Pearce, 1800

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06 © Stuart Morris

07 LOST PATHS & NEW PATHS During the 18th and 19th centuries, The railways, along with the first the scale of quarrying transformed bridge across to Portland from the natural landscape of Portland. the mainland built in 1839, meant Initially stone was quarried near Portland became more accessible to the cliff tops on the East and and began to attract new visitors. West Weares, for ease of access The picturesque views and walks “The fields have since gone near the homes we once knew to load the stone onto barges around Pennsylvania Castle and transport by sea. However, in and the romantic ruins of Rufus The walks we had used are now getting so few. 1824 virgin fields near Easton were Castle and St Andrews Church at opened up, marking the beginning Church Ope and even the convicts of inland quarrying, that continues working in the quarries were Such old scenes have vanished from our aged gaze to this day. This rapid increase promoted as attractions. 07 in quarrying transformed the Replaced in this day by the new buildings maze”. agricultural system on the Island For Portlanders themselves, as land became more profitable pathways were always part of to quarry than to farm. This had the recreations and communal George Davy a significant impact on the ceremonies of Portland life - used pathways and rights of way on for processions, fairs and general Portland, with pathways between socialising. The open land and the lawns being lost, and led to the freedom to roam is expressed in rapid disconnection of routes that many reminiscences. A particularly had been walked for centuries. important pastime was the seasonal foraging for blackberries, apples, sloes and flowers, from particular bushes and trees along the pathways. The edges of footpaths continue to offer “The trouble is, you see, when important wildlife habitats. they take the footpaths, it’s PATHS TODAY not just them they take. Once shared spaces, paths are There’s things like Bee now distinctly separated into routes for motorised vehicles and Orchids, Spider Orchids, those for pedestrians – our current and up there (by the network of footpaths. Portland’s Windmills) was the only place pathways continue to have a very important place in the memories where the wild anemone grew.” and mythologies of Portland’s Neville Warbridge history. Whilst quarrying once However quarrying also opened presented the biggest threat it up new paths. By fundamentally is present day encroachment of altering patterns and places of building developments, erosion work, new routes were created and neglect that challenges the for workers to access the quarries. continuation of the routes of the The continuing development past. Recent landfalls at West of the quarrying industry also Weares have led to cliff paths resulted in the construction of being redirected. Redirection railways and tramways for moving also occurs when a right of way stone, extending new routes into crosses the path of building the landscape. Although these development. Whilst some form railways eventually closed and of access is usually retained this The last harvest at Haylands in 1968 - now a housing estate. © Stuart Morris tracks were dismantled, the rail often changes the route and thus beds themselves remained. its connection to its origins. definitive map. There is currently a cut off Many of these routes cut into date of 2026, by which any paths which the stone are now used as new Unused paths become overgrown came into existence before 1949 and are pathways for walking. New paths and subsequently impassable not currently on the official map need to have also been established in and eventually forgotten. Walking be registered to safeguard access. the disused quarries as these the paths keeps this rich pattern have gradually been reclaimed Our pathways are valued for many reasons of tracks covering Portland by nature. 06 both practical and emotional, connecting accessible. Whilst the local us to places and past histories as well as authority has a responsibility to being a huge leisure resource. They are maintain rights of way this only assets we often take for granted but would extends to those paths on the be much missed if they were lost. More information about the history of Portland’s paths can be found in The Portland Pathways Research Report available at b-side.org.uk Section of the 1841 Tithe map for Portland showing the multiple strip fields near The Bill - many of which can still be seen today. 01

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This project has been This project funded by The Heritage Lottery - thank you to all who buy lottery tickets!

on foot. on foot. and residents to explore Portland Portland to explore and residents knowledge and encourage visitors knowledge and encourage visitors the Isle of Portland. This research the Isle of Portland. this led guided walks to share This document has been compiled This document together brought 2018. The project of way across footpaths and rights publication and a series of artist for the Portland Pathways Project Project Pathways Portland the for of local residents a group the histories of the to research this an exhibition, has inspired PROJECT PATHWAYS PATHWAYS PORTLAND PORTLAND THE For further information and sources please refer to please refer For further information and sources Report available the Portland Pathways Research A special thank you to Stuart Morris for permission to use many of his images and place name see Stuarts book: For further reading research. Portland, an Illustrated History (2016 Edition). ISBN 978-0-9955462-0-2 Thank you to all the experts and local residents Thank you to all the experts and local residents their knowledge shared who have so generously with particular thanks with us as part of the project, to Stuart Morris, Andy Matthews, Shirley Mitchell David Study Centre), (The Portland Heritage Trust (Portland Dee Reilly and Lucy Watkins Carter, Museum), Sam Johnston (Dorset History Centre), Martin Cade and Beryl Clafton (Portland Bird Neville Observation and Field Centre), Jo and Mark Jackson, Jo Morland, Warbridge, Kirby. Jess Tilley and Geoff Portland Pathways Research Group: Sheila Ryan, Group: Portland Pathways Research Kit and David Doug Stem, Chloe Taylor, Franken-Hughes, Elizabeth Johnson, Andrea Chris Burton, Andy Susan Frazer, Hardy, Kathy Nikki Fryer, McLaughlin, Fiona Taylor, Philips, O’borne, Deborah Read, Sharon Charles Cowling and Julie Matthews. Guided walks devised and led by artist Ania Bas. Guided walks devised and led by artist Ania Publication developed for b-side by and designed and Bea Moyes Amanda Wallwork by Spike Golding. Research coordinated by Bea Moyes. coordinated Research Project developed and managed by b-side. Project www.b-side.org.uk