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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.
AN APOLOGY: Portesham Village Hall Post Office is a satellite of Charlestown Post Office. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, both are temporarily closed until further notice.
DORSET HIGHWAYS DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT SCHEME:
THE B3157 NEXT TO Portesham Village Hall WILL HAVE THREE-WAY TEMPORARY TRAFFIC LIGHTS WITH WORK BEGINNING FROM 1st NOVEMBER FOR 6 WEEKS, MONDAY TO FRIDAY 07.30 TO 16.30.
FOLLOWING THIS DRAINAGE WORK THE Goose Hill/Malthouse Meadow JUNCTION WILL BE COMPLETELY CLOSED TO TRAFFIC FOR RESURFACING ON 16th & 17th DECEMBER FROM 20.00 TO 06.00 AND REOPENED DURING THE DAY.
DURING THESE NIGHT ROAD CLOSURES THE SIGNED DIVERSION ROUTE WILL BE - FRONT STREET - PORTESHAM HILL - COOMBE ROAD - B3159-A35-B3157.
What's On in Portesham?
In December:
ARTSREACH Amadou & Cory Touki - Rights of Passage - Portesham Village Hall - 19.00 to 22.00 Saturday 11th
For tickets call Andrea on 871035 or email ajl.s49@icloud.com
Portesham Picture Palace presents "It's a Wonderful Life" remastered - Portesham Village Hall Sunday 19th
For £2.50 tickets please call 871925 or email keith.brignell@sky.com
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
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!
PORTESHAM VILLAGE HALL IS STEADILY AWAKENING!
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.
In 1023, King Canute granted Portesham by charter, to his servant Orc.
In 2023 we will celebrate our 1000th anniversary with POSSUM1000
A page has been created here in preparation.
Contact us with your ideas and they'll be added to our next POSSUM1000 meeting in The Kings Arms!
Take a look at our ideas !
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, but is anyone able to put a name to gentleman No. 14?
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.
15. Bill Halford
16. Major Collingwood
17. Bill Hunt
18. Fred Hodder
(Fatty)
19. Bert Swaffield
A few more early village photos brought to light recently by members of the village's WhatsApp group.
The millstream ford before the New Road bridge was built in the 40's
There are plenty more in the Heritage section "Under Blackdown" and "Early Portesham Postcards".
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.
JOIN Portesham Help & Chat Group on WhatsApp
The place to see and contribute towards the latest village news and views
We have well over 100 members now, the majority 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!
Can we add any more?
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.
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