Please click on any of the above
As you scroll up, click on any red text for further information:
The Post Office, set up in Portesham Village Hall, was a satellite of Charlestown Post Office. Unfortunately, as they are unable to find a solution, it will now remain closed until further notice.
****CLAIM AN AWARD FOR YOUR LOCAL GROUP OF UP TO £400 FROM PAC HERE!****
Welcome to PORTESHAM, a beautiful West Dorset village, superbly located for access to the World Heritage Jurassic Coast, South West Coastal Path and South Dorset Ridgeway, in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and only a short drive from Weymouth, Dorchester or Bridport.
Find out what's going on in the locality, join a group, volunteer, or phone a plumber - you'll find all sorts of useful information here on our community website.
Charity parachute jump - Villagers Dorothy Everett (celebrating 80), Kim Dawe (will be 75) & Andy Murdoch will be jumping from a perfectly good aeroplane at 7500 feet on May 27th at Dunkeswell Airfield. Please show your support by sponsoring them and donating on their Just Giving page here. All money raised will be split 50/50 with the Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance and local charity The Three Ells Trust.
Our Queen celebrates 70 years since succeeding King George VI and we will be celebrating in style in the village. As a hub and meeting place for over 20 village groups, the village hall committee have asked Pip Roper to set up a group to collate everyone's thoughts and ideas.
The group are now finalising preparations ready for a ticketed Cream Tea with music 14.30 until 17.00 in the village hall on Friday 3rd June, a Village Fayre in The Kings Arms garden on Saturday the 4th and a ticketed Family Street Party in Malthouse Meadow on Sunday the 5th.
There will be several competitions for everyone to enter.
• THE BEST DRESSED HOUSE
• THE BEST LOOKING AND TASTIEST "JUBILEE CAKE" (to be consumed at the street party)
• FANCY DRESS Saturday
• BOULES Saturday
It is also planned to place planted pots on The Knapp (by the phone box) in the shape of ‘70’.
All residents are invited and encouraged to lend a pot, maximum size 8”, planted with red, white and blue flowers, either single or all 3 colours.
Please bring your pot to The Knapp at 10am on Friday June 3rd, when they will all be set out. All pots can be reclaimed after late Monday 6th and Tuesday 7th June.
Happy planting!
Contacts for plant pots queries: Mary Robins 871408 or Keith Brignell 871925
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT PIP ON 873845 AND FOR ALL TICKET
ENQUIRIES PLEASE CONTACT: triciacameron567@gmail.com pip@roper.me.uk or ask at DUCK'S Farm shop.
Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Year 2022
In 1023, King Canute granted Portesham, by charter, to his servant Orc.
NEXT YEAR in 2023 we celebrate our Millennium Anniversary!
A page has been created here on POSSUM1000 in preparation.
Contact us with your ideas and they'll be added to our next POSSUM1000 meeting in The Kings Arms!
What's On in Portesham?
In May:
• Songs of Praise St Peters Church 16.00 29th
In June:
PORTESHAM PLATINUM JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS
• Cream Tea with music. PVH 14.30 3rd
•. Village Fayre. The Kings Arms 14.30. 4th
•. Family Street Party Malthouse Meadow 14.30. 5th
• PPP presents: "THE DUKE" PVH 18.00 26th
For tickets email keith.brignell@sky.com or call 07818032416
Here's an interesting shot from Portesham House's collection and quite a rare view
of the village for that period. Is there anyone out there who'd like to put a date to it?
It looks possibly pre-railway i.e. 19th century.
Hedgehogs in your garden?
A good way to tell if you have visitors is to keep an eye out for their poo...their droppings are generally black or dark brown, sausage shaped, 1.5 to 5cm long and, from experience, quite sticky!
There is a village group, part of the Dorset Mammal group, instigated by Sarah Wooley & Graham Whitby and further details may be found here.
The clip to the left has been supplied by Angela & Malcolm Passells portraying their rather greedy little hog! The daytime clip on the right is from Janice Grove.
Given the amount of sightings recently, it appears we have a very healthy hog population in Portesham!
WHAT'S HAPPENING IN PORTESHAM VILLAGE HALL?
Please keep a regular watch on our calendar here:
Monday Lunch Club 12.00 - 14.00
Monday Table Tennis Club 14.30 - 16.30
Monday Bridge Club 13.30 - 16.30
Monday Cubs 18.15 - 20.00.
Tuesday Margaret's Friendship Cafe 10.00 - 12.00
Tuesday Portesham WI second Tuesday of the month
Wednesday Pilates with Claire Myers 10.00 - 11.00 CMPilates@live.co.uk
Wednesday Badminton Club 17.30 - 19.30
Thursday Zumba classes with Christine Voce 09.30 - 10.30 christinevoce56@gmail.com
Thursday Short Mat Bowls Club 14.00 - 16.00 & 19.30 - 21.00
Friday Strengthen & Stretch with Christine 09.00 - 09.45 christinevoce56@gmail.com
Friday Gentle Strength with Christine 10.15 - 11.00 christinevoce56@gmail.com
Friday Beavers 17.00 - 18.15
We have a few new postcards to view on the "Early Portesham Postcards" page here.
The Kings Arms Hotel -
Who knew!
Where are we here?
Up at the quarry
Portesham Railway Station
Some of Portesham House amongst others recently brought to light
The Green
The millstream ford before the New Road bridge was built in the 40's
The Kings Arms
There are plenty more in the Heritage section "Under Blackdown" and "Early Portesham Postcards".
PORTESHAM WALKING GROUP ARE SEEKING NEW MEMBERS!
We are a successful walking group of some 40 members, mainly from Portesham but also from other parts of Chesil Bank.
We organise both short and long walks throughout the year and further details can be found on our page HERE.
If you are interested in joining, please contact John Mason on 01305 871117 alternatively johnmasonfaro@yahoo.co.uk
Many of their descendants are still residents here today.
There is also a record of those who gave their lives in the cause of freedom in both world wars.
Photo courtesy of Ruth Chipp-Marshall
You will recognise several current villagers' surnames below.
1. Bill Vine
2. Bill Hansford
3. Harold Young
4. Percy Kellaway
5. Charles Hodder
6. Len Harding
7. Percy Chalden
8. Cyrell Godden
9. Charlie Hodder
(Shaddy)
10. Bill Chipp
11. George Reed
12. Jack Jolliffe
13. Arthur Woodsford
14. Mr Read
15. Bill Halford
16. Major Collingwood
17. Bill Hunt
18. Fred Hodder
19. Bert Swaffield
Are you a carer?
Portesham Surgery has a dedicated carers lead, who can support you with your caring role.
Can Social Prescribing help you?
Portesham Surgery now has a social prescribing team. They can help you focus on your health
and wellbeing by taking a more holistic approach.
Learn all about project VIP just over the hill next door, why & when it was started, the objectives and the amazing discoveries en route!
Aren't we so fortunate, living slap bang in the middle of an area of outstanding natural beauty, where archaeological finds from the earliest Neolithic (4000-2500 BC) and Bronze Age (2500-800 BC) settlements from 6000 years ago, through the 500 years of Roman occupation (late Iron Age 1st century BC to late Roman period 4th century AD) to the relatively recent Medieval times (from the 5th to 15th century AD) continue to be discovered!
Click on the above for the link to their archaeology webinars
JOIN Portesham Help & Chat Group on WhatsApp
The place to see and contribute towards the latest village news and views
We have nigh on 150 members now, all of them having Admin status, so there is every chance you will already know someone in it - just ask "that someone" to add you!
Portesham School 1932
Photo courtesy of Robin Harding's Aunty Ruth Treves-Brown (nee Harding).
There are a few relatives of Portesham Help & Chat Group members', villagers Anne, Ruth, Robin H & Robin J and Bill's 2 sisters. Bill has kindly tried to put a name to some of the faces he vaguely recognises from when he was a pupil there, a little more recently, in 1939!
2 Dorothy Coombes (nee Chipp) 5 William Chipp 9 Jack Jolliffe 12 George Samways
18 Betty Hodder (nee Halford) 27 Rena Dike (nee Halford) 34 Eric Jolliffe 35 John Harding
Read Elizabeth's short story :
Archie Carberry's Adventures is located in: Living/Local/Village Tales
NOW APPEARING IN THE CHESIL MAGAZINE
Great news!
We have new geese!
Thanks to Graham Parker & Graham Whitby for flying them in, free of charge, from Litton Cheney,
The Mallard collection box in the Kings Arms, near their garden entrance, was opened recently and was found to contain nearly £70.00 due to some very generous donations after the sad loss of George, our village goose.
These funds will go towards buying some goslings in the spring and to purchase duck food.
Advertise your Portesham group or business
Leave us a short message on the subscriptions page
Easy listening music added here for your perusing pleasure - courtesy of local musician, composer & music teacher Lucy Hackett
It's a spacious, modern hall ideally situated on the edge of our historic and picturesque village in the heart of the Dorset countryside.
With 3 rooms for hire, a small lawned garden with patio and a car park, you can hire the whole hall for a special event or any of the rooms that suit your needs.
Portesham Heritage
High above the village on Blackdown Hill, is the magnificent 72 ft stone monument to Sir Thomas Masterman Hardy GCB, our famous 19th century resident, who fought under Admiral Lord Nelson as Captain of HMS Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar.
It was the most important sea battle of the 19th century, resulting in the British Navy, becoming the world's largest sea power for the next 100 years.
Comet Neowise - 19th July 2020 - next viewing 8786AD...
As is tradition, named after the discoverer: NASA's space telescope "Near Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer"
It's here >
As Nelson died it is well documented that he was overheard by those around him to say "Kiss me Hardy"; however, the Victorian's much preferred to believe that it was "Kismet Hardy" that was said, 'kismet' being the Turkish word for FATE.
The current owners of Hardy's House have a fascinating tale of fate and coincidence to tell you relating to the very recent discovery of the lost original sundial that started its life here, in the garden of Portesham House, nearly 250 years ago!
Read that story HERE.
Do you have a Portesham story you'd like to share ? Tell it HERE and read it HERE!
Created by local people to record and share their village heritage.
View it on The Green opposite the Kings Arms.
More detailed images of the map can be found on the Portesham Map page
It's now over 50 years since this little booklet was created to celebrate the Centenary of Portesham Church School and 100 years of Portesham history.
Take a walk on the wild side ...
Photography - Copyright © 2020 Geoffrey Thomas
Our Favourite!
Dorset Rights of Way
Click on the Dorset Explorer map below to view the Pink (footpath) or Green (bridleway) Rights of Way.
Select the Base Map Icon on the right hand toolbar to turn on the Ordinance Survey map.
Use it with Location on your mobile phone to accurately find your position along the many beautiful walks around Portesham.
Website Disclaimer
The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by Portesham Community and while we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.
In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or profits arising out of, or in connection with, the use of this website.
Through this website you are able to link to other websites which are not under the control of Portesham Community. We have no control over the nature, content and availability of those sites. The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.
Every effort is made to keep the website up and running smoothly. However, Portesham Community takes no responsibility for, and will not be liable for, the website being temporarily unavailable due to technical issues beyond our control.