Portland Harbour
Portland Harbour is a manmade harbour attached to the north of Portland. Originally it was a natural anchorage known as Portland Roads, protected by Portland to the south, Chesil Beach to the west and mainland Dorset to the north.
Following the recommendations of the Report of the Commissioners Upon the Subject of Harbours of Refuge in 1845, two breakwater arms were constructed in 1849-72 to transform Portland Roads into a harbour of refuge. A second pair, built between 1896-1905, completed the harbour's enclosure. When the first arms were completed in 1872, Portland Harbour was the largest man-made harbour in the world. It is the fourth largest today, after Jebel Ali in Dubai, Ras Laffan Harbour in Qatar and Cherbourg Harbour in France. Portland's four breakwater arms have a total length of 4.57 kilometres (2.84 miles) and enclose some 2,100 acres of water. The port area contains an approximate 31.6 acres of operational land.
The establishment of the harbour of refuge provided a new anchorage for the Royal Navy and was also used by merchant shipping. As Portland's value as a naval station continued to grow into the early 20th century, it was officially designated HM Naval Base Portland (HMNB Portland) in 1923. The base, having played an important role in World War II and peacetime, ceased operations in 1996 following defence budget cuts. The harbour was sold to Portland Port Ltd and is now operated as a commercial port.
History
Creation of harbour of refuge and breakwaters (1844-1872)
The strategic importance and military use of Portland Roads, naturally sheltered on all sides except the east, stems back to Roman times. Later in the 16th century, King Henry VIII had Portland Castle built in 1539-41, along with its sister Sandsfoot Castle, to protect the anchorage. The first suggestion of enclosing the anchorage with a breakwater was proposed by Weymouth postmaster John Harvey in 1794, followed by another from Alexander Lamb in 1812. However, it wasn't until 1845 when the idea of forming a harbour of refuge was approved, following recommendation by the Report of the Commissioners Upon the Subject of Harbours of Refuge.
The Portland Breakwater Act, which was approved by the British government in May 1847, was prompted by the fears of a French invasion, the development of Cherbourg Harbour and concerns over the security of the English Channel. Conveniently placed between Portsmouth and Plymouth on the south coast, Portland was deemed as being an important strategic position for use of the Royal Navy. The engineer James Meadows Rendel was commissioned to produce plans for the harbour scheme. After carrying out a survey of Portland Roads and the surrounding area, Rendel submitted his proposals in 1846 and these were approved the following year.
In 1847, John Coode was hired as the resident engineer and he later became engineer-in-chief for the works following Rendel's death in 1856. Preliminary work began in August 1847 by Messrs J. and C. Rigby of London and they were succeeded in 1850 by John Towlerton Leather as the contractor for the breakwater works. To provide the stone needed to build the breakwaters, the extensive Admiralty Quarries were established around East Cliff and near Grove, while Portland Prison, opened in 1848, provided convict labour within them. The Admiralty Incline Railway was laid to transport wagons containing the stone down to Portland Nore, where the breakwaters were to be built from.
The foundation stone of the breakwaters was laid by Prince Albert on 25 July 1849 and work on the scheme commenced on 11 December that year. Construction of the two arms was carried out using elevated timber staging, on which wagons pulled by locomotives could be taken out to sea. Once the wagons were in position, the use of a lever allowed the stone contained within to be dropped into the sea. During the early stages of the work, Coode proposed that the new harbour of refuge could also be equipped with coaling facilities and approval was gained in 1856 for the construction of a coaling station to serve the Royal Navy's new steam-powered warships.
Work on the breakwaters was virtually complete by the end of 1866 and John Leather's contract expired at that time. The biggest remaining project was the foundations of the Breakwater Fort, which fell under the responsibility of the War Office. The breakwaters were declared complete during a ceremony on 18 August 1872 when the Prince of Wales laid the last stone. Described at the time as "one of the mightiest engineering works in the country", an estimated six million tons of stone was used to build the breakwaters. The cost of the two arms, along with the harbour's coaling station, jetties and waterworks, amounted to £1,033,600. The completed harbour provided a new refuge for both the Royal Navy and merchant shipping. It was split into two anchorages; the western half was designated for merchant ships and the eastern half for naval ships.
Construction of harbour defences
Various defences were constructed to protect Portland Harbour, the largest of which was the 56-acre Verne Citadel, built on Verne Hill, with a commanding position overlooking the harbour. Below the eastern side of the citadel, the East Weare Batteries were constructed as part of the Verne's outworks. At the end of the outer breakwater was the circular Breakwater Fort and on the end of the inner breakwater was the smaller Inner Pier Head Fort. On the Weymouth side of the harbour, the Nothe Fort was constructed on the Nothe Peninsula.
Royal Navy operations at Portland (1845-1914)
The creation of a harbour of refuge and coaling station allowed the Royal Navy to establish a naval station there. In addition to the coaling and watering facilities for the steam-powered warships, a dockyard was gradually developed into the 20th century. As the original coaling facilities were deemed inefficient upon completion, a new coaling pier was later built between 1890-96, with the work undertaken by Messrs Hill & Company of Gosport. Aside from use of the coaling facilities, ships regularly embarked on training exercises and other trials in Portland's waters. For some time, Portland was home to the Channel Fleet, while ships of the Reserve Fleet used the harbour for mobilisation exercises. Meanwhile, trials involving torpedoes first commenced at Portland around 1878.
For the training of young seamen, Portland's first training ship Britannia arrived in 1862, but moved three years later to Dartmouth. In her place, the training ship Boscawen arrived in 1866. She was replaced in 1873 with Trafalgar, though the Boscawen name was retained. Later, two ironclad warships also arrived to serve as training vessels; the Minotaur in 1898 and Agincourt in 1904, and both were christened Boscawen II and Boscawen III respectively. All three training ships were removed from Portland in 1905.
The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw further naval developments at Portland. Following the upgraded coaling facilities, an extension of the coaling pier was undertaken in 1903-06, while to the west, three wooden jetties were constructed for torpedo boat destroyers. Meanwhile, new on-shore facilities saw the expansion of the dockyard to include a range of buildings such as offices and storehouses. A new electric light and power station was built in 1906-07, and further afield was a naval hospital, canteen and recreation grounds. Although rifle ranges had existed at Portland since the 1870s, the surviving range now known as the East Weare Rifle Range was built at the beginning of the 20th century.
In addition to the existing stores within the dockyard, a new naval depot was established at Castletown in the early 20th century, between Portland Castle and Castletown Pier. When oil was introduced as a fuel for the fleet, a number of storage tanks were constructed at Portland from 1905, primarily at the Mere. By 1923, the Mere Oil Fuel Depot contained twenty-two tanks, with an additional four situated elsewhere in the northern region of the island. Portland's first floating dock, AFD VII, arrived in 1914, allowing refits and repairs to be undertaken.
As the Admiralty made increasing use of the torpedo, they requested that Robert Whitehead, the engineer famous for the development of the first effective self-propelled naval torpedo, establish a factory in Britain, in addition to his existing one at Fiume, Austria. Whitehead selected Wyke Regis, on the northern fringes of the harbour, for his torpedo works, which was built in 1891. In addition to manufacturing torpedoes for the Admiralty, the factory used a purpose-built 1,060 yard pier within the harbour for trials and development work. Later in 1898, plans for an Admiralty torpedo range were approved and a short range opened near Bincleaves in 1902. The same period saw a torpedo depot established in existing buildings within Portland's dockyard, while another torpedo range, known as the long range, was in operation from 1917 on the northern arm.
Enclosure of harbour and new defences (1893-1909)
As the end of the 19th century neared, rapid advances in naval warfare and technology, particularly of the torpedo, led to concerns over the harbour's vulnerability. The northern half of the harbour, spanning between the Breakwater Fort and Weymouth, remained open and it was feared that anchoring vessels could be the target of torpedo boat attack. Proposals were made in 1892 to either install a boom spanning the open gap or construct a further two breakwater arms. The latter option was selected the following year, but until work on such a scheme could be authorised by the government and completed, plans were also drawn up for temporary defences. This included a 600 yard bank of stone spanning out from Bincleaves, along with a series of dolphins installed across the remaining gap out to the Breakwater Fort. These dolphins would hold boom defences in place across the open section of the harbour, while some were also fortified with quick-firing guns. The temporary measures were carried out by Messrs Hill & Company in 1894-96, primarily as they held the existing contract for use of the Incline Railway in connection with the coaling pier works.
The scheme for the new breakwaters was given parliamentary approval in 1895 through the Naval Works Acts of 1895-96. Preliminary work commenced at the end of 1895 and construction began around the beginning of April 1896. Much of the construction of the new breakwaters was carried out using hopper barges, whose split-hulls allowed them to drop the stone in place within the harbour. The government contracted Scottish shipbuilders Lobnitz & Company of Renfrew to build the first batch of these barges in November 1895. In 1896, as part of the preliminary work, a new jetty was constructed and new tracks laid on the Incline Railway and in the dockyard. The stone for the breakwaters would be transported down the Incline Railway to the new pier, loaded onto the barges using steam cranes, and the barges were then towed by tugs across the harbour.
The work was initially carried out by workmen directly under the Admiralty's New Works Department. In 1897, it was decided to invite tenders for the breakwater contract which was won at the end of the year by Messrs Hill & Company. All of the Admiralty's plant and machinery was then handed over to the contractor, who took over work from 17 January 1898. In April 1899, the new breakwaters had reached low-water mark and the boom defences installed at the harbour's three entrances were also operational by this point.
Apart from some further work on the Heads, which would be completed in 1905, the completion of the breakwaters was announced in the Naval Estimates of 1904-05, having cost £652,000 in total. The southern end of the north-eastern breakwater was completed with the erection of the Breakwater Lighthouse in 1905, which remains in use today. In 1909, the same breakwater arm would be raised 11ft, allowing storehouses and other buildings to be erected, while the seaward side was given a sloping face to make it more resistant against waves.
During this period, new additions were added to the harbour's existing fortifications and defences too. The Verne High Angle Battery, located south of the Verne Citadel, was completed in 1895, but only saw active military use until 1906. Blacknor Battery, located at West Cliff, was completed in 1902 to defend the western approaches to the harbour, while Upton Battery, built north of Weymouth near Osmington, defended the eastern approaches and was completed in 1903. The three pier heads (A, B and C) of the two new breakwaters were also fortified by the time of their completion in 1905.
Role in World War 1 (1914-1918)
With the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the Grand Fleet assembled at Portland before sailing to Scapa Flow, and the Third Fleet underwent a test mobilisation there. As a measure against torpedo and coastal motor boat attack, the south ship channel was closed in November 1914 with the scuttling of the battleship HMS Hood. Over the course of the war, Portland's waters were regularly used for exercises and firing practice. From 1915, Portland's Auxiliary Patrol, initially made up of trawlers, patrolled the area for German U-Boats, swept mines and protected colliers as part of the French coal trade.
In 1916, a small naval air station was established at the harbour as one of a number along Britain's coast. A slipway was used as a ramp for the seaplanes and a hangar was erected. The station's role was to support patrols by locating U-Boats. In 1917, both Portland and Weymouth were the locations for anti-submarine training and trial work, following the Admiralty's successful experimentation with hydrophones. The shore-based listening school, commissioned under the name HMS Sarepta, was temporarily established at Weymouth in 1917 before moving across to Portland in 1918. It then transferred off-shore to HMS Gibraltar in the harbour in 1919. Most training was undertaken by the 1st Anti-Submarine Flotilla. Meanwhile, Portland's Torpedo Depot was relocated to a new site on the other side of the harbour at Bincleaves. RN Torpedo Depot Weymouth was opened in 1920 and remained in use until 1958.
Interwar years (1919-1939)
Portland's naval base returned to normal peacetime operations after the war. Despite the increasing importance of the harbour to the Royal Navy since the mid-19th century, it was not until 11 December 1923 that Portland was officially declared HM Naval Base Portland (HMNB Portland).
On 1 April 1924, Portland's anti-submarine school was commissioned as HMS Osprey. When an Admiralty re-organisation followed in 1927, all anti-submarine work was concentrated at Portland. In addition to the A/S School, an ASDIC Research and Development Unit was established under HMS Osprey that year. From the moment of its inception, the trials and experiments undertaken by the R&D Unit were highly successful in the development of Asdic and other equipment, while Osprey's anti-submarine school continued to train many officers and sailors in anti-submarine warfare. When another war seemed imminent, HMS Osprey underwent expansion during the 1930s. This same period saw Vickers-Armstrongs, owners of Whitehead's Torpedo Works, open a new torpedo range on the north-eastern breakwater in 1934.
World War II (1939-1945)
With the outbreak of World War II, Portland continued to host ships exercising in the area and anti-submarine research continued. However, after Germany's successful invasion of France, the naval base quickly became the target of air attacks. Activity had to be reduced, and over the course of the war, Portland would see 48 air attacks, in which 532 bombs were dropped. To combat these raids, various light and heavy anti-aircraft batteries were established around Portland and Weymouth, with the Verne Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery being a surviving example. In 1939-41, an underground fuel depot and the Portland Naval Communication Headquarters were constructed within the dockyard region.
In July 1940, the auxiliary anti-aircraft ship HMS Foylebank was attacked by Stuka dive-bombers and sank in the harbour. 176 of the 300 crew were killed, including Jack Foreman Mantle, who was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions in defending the ship despite being mortally injured. He was buried in Portland's Royal Naval Cemetery overlooking the harbour. Due to the air raids, HMS Osprey was transferred to Dunoon in 1941 for the remainder of the war, and the shore establishment at Portland then became the Coastal Forces base HMS Attack.
Once fears of a German invasion had subsided, Portland was in a better position to assist the war effort. On 1 May 1944, the harbour, along with Weymouth's, was commissioned as USNAAB Portland-Weymouth for use as part of D-Day preparations. Both Portland and Weymouth were major embarkation points for American troops, particularly the US 1st Division who embarked for "Omaha Beach" in June 1944. In total, 418,585 troops and 144,093 vehicles would embark from Portland and Weymouth Harbours. The liberation of Europe in 1945 was marked by a local ceremony in August that year, with the American Ambassador John D. Winant unveiling a stone in Victoria Gardens commemorating the harbour's efforts. Earlier on 10 May 1945, U-249 had been the first German submarine to surrender and be taken to a British port following the defeat of Germany. It was escorted into Portland Harbour by HMS Magpie and HMS Amethyst.
Post-war role (1946-1990s)
After the war, Portland saw the return of visiting warships, with exercises regularly taking place in local waters again. The Home Fleet also continued to assemble at Portland on occasion too. In 1946, HMS Osprey returned to Portland, along with the ASDIC R&D Unit, now known as HM Anti-Submarine Experimental Establishment (HMA/SEE), while the Portland Training Squadron was also formed that year for the training of young seamen. In 1947, HMA/SEE became HM Underwater Detection Establishment (HMUDE), which continued to concentrate on the research and development of underwater detection systems, namely sonar.
Meanwhile, the potential use of helicopters in the fleet, especially in an anti-submarine role, led to Sikorsky R-4Bs operating from the naval base between 1945-47. The success of these and other trials by the Admiralty led to the creation of a small airfield at the Mere in 1958-59. RNAS Portland was commissioned under HMS Osprey and focused on the use of helicopters in an anti-submarine role, particularly the training of their crews and associated personnel. RNAS Portland saw expansion in the 1960s onwards and went on to become one of the busiest air stations on the south coast.
In 1946, ten caissons of the war-time Mulberry Harbour were towed to Portland to create a new inner harbour, capable of berthing the Royal Navy's latest Battle class destroyers. In c. 1951, work was completed on a new 400-metre pier in the dockyard known as Q Pier or Queen's Pier. During the same period, reclamation work began south of the pier, providing 4.5 acres of new space known as New Quay, and the removal of the torpedo boat destroyer jetties that had been erected in the 1900s. Eight of the caissons were towed to the Netherlands to repair and block breaches in the dykes, following the great storm of January 1953, and the remaining two were put in place as a wind break for Queen's Pier in c. 1962, where they remain today.
In 1954, the Admiralty Gunnery Establishment was opened at Barrow Hill near Southwell village. Concerns were raised over the naval base in a report of 1955, particularly over the "seriously deficient" facilities in regards to the handling of modern ships. However, First Sea Lord Earl Mountbatten was far more positive following a visit there in 1957. He considered Portland to be an "ideal anti-submarine base and a good workup base", thereby making "an important contribution to the operational efficiency of the Navy in general". It was decided in 1958 that Portland's dockyard should be closed, but the naval base retained. The dockyard closed in 1958-59 as the reduced size of the navy resulted in little need for Portland's repair, refit and docking facilities.
From 1958, the naval base's main role was Flag Officer Sea Training, which was established at Portland by First Sea Lord Louis Mountbatten. The role of FOST was to ensure that Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels were fit to join the operational fleet by testing the crew's readiness through a series of drills and exercises, including war-fighting scenarios and emergencies. Ships underwent a six week work-up programme, while the weekly war-fighting and damage control exercises were given the colloquial name Thursday War as it was usually held weekly on that day. Considered a major success, Portland gained a reputation for being the world's premier naval work-up base and many NATO ships would also train at and frequent the base.
As a result of a rationalisation scheme for Admiralty research, the Gunnery Establishment at Southwell was relocated in 1959 and the complex became the home of the Admiralty Underwater Weapons Establishment. The following year saw the final step of the amalgamation, with the Underwater Detection Establishment being incorporated into the AUWE. The Southwell establishment, known as AUWE(S), was responsible for the design, development and testing of underwater weapons, while the dockyard establishment, known as AUWE(N), continued to focus on underwater detection systems. A third site, known as AUWE(B), was established at the former RN Torpedo Depot at Bincleaves. The AUWE became infamous in 1961 for the espionage infiltration of the Portland Spy Ring.
The outbreak of the Falklands War in 1982 saw Portland's facilities in constant demand. The first ship to depart the United Kingdom ahead of the British Task Force was RMAS Typhoon (A95), an ocean-going tug of the Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service, which headed south from Portland on 4 April 1982. The first wave of the task force would follow the next day, while the second underwent a reduced two week FOST programme at Portland before heading south too.
Final years of operation (1980s-1990s)
During the late 20th century, HMNB Portland's operations continued to revolve around Flag Officer Sea Training, which was supported by a number of other departments, including the Port Auxillary Repair Unit (PARU), Fleet Maintenance Group (FMG), Supply & Transport Operations (Navy) or STO(N), and the Royal Marine Auxiliary Service (RMAS), the latter including the Queen's Harbour Master (QHM). Other departments within the confines of the naval base included the Defence Research Agency (formerly AUWE) and the Sea Systems Controllerate (SSC). Further afield, operations continued at RNAS Portland and the research establishments at Southwell, Bincleaves, Portland Bill and Egdon Hall (Lynch Lane).
A number of notable projects were carried out within and near the base during the 1970s-80s. The Deep Water Berth was added to the Coaling Pier in c. 1978-80 and 1984 saw work commence on a £30 million scheme at Castletown with the construction of two large accommodation blocks, known as the Hardy Site, and a state-of-the-art sports centre known as the Boscawen Centre. In 1986, a new building for the Queen's Harbour Master (QHM) was built at a cost of £927,000. In addition to its operations rooms, the new facility was provided with offices, accommodation and workshops over its three storeys. In 1988, the base's naval headquarters was extended with the construction of a £1.5 million block, providing additional offices for FOST.
End of the Cold War and closure of base (1990-96)
With the imminent end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact in 1991, the UK government launched a defence review known as Options for Change in 1990, as part of plans to rationalise the British Armed Forces and significantly reduce the defence budget. With the proposal of a reduced fleet for the Royal Navy, the transfer of FOST to another location was suggested, which predicted savings of £250 million over the next decade.
The proposed closure of HMNB Portland was formally announced in 1992, while the DERA's own rationalisation scheme saw Portland's two main DERA establishments, "North" and "South", also under threat. The British government believed closing HMNB Portland would save £70 million over the following decade and a further £11 million for each year after. An estimated 550 service and 475 civilian personnel would be affected.
A 1992 consultative report noted: "Portland provides a good base for the conduct of Operational Sea Training, with relatively easy access to sea areas suitable to support most of the OST programme adequately. However, there is spare capacity amongst the Naval Bases to accommodate the reducing Fleet of the 1990's, and although Portland has some unique advantages to support peacetime operations, the Base is not indispensible." In addition, the retention of FOST at Portland was to result in the need for major works and maintenance at an estimated cost of £10 million, with a further £15 million for "upgrading" the base's RMAS fleet.
The threat of closure was met with local opposition. Early estimates from a delegation led by local Conservative MP Ian Bruce suggested the closure of HMNB Portland would result in the loss of 1,400 jobs and cost the local economy £10 million a year. It was estimated that a further 2,260 jobs would be lost if the DERA establishments closed and some of the Ministry of Defence's administration staff were moved to Bristol as proposed.
The closure of HMNB Portland was confirmed by the Minister for the Armed Forces, Archie Hamilton, on 12 November 1992, with FOST to transfer to Devonport and the base to be closed by April 1996. The DERA facilities at Portland Bill and Bincleaves would remain open, as would RNAS Portland, the latter employing 1,200 naval and 200 civilian personnel. A period of consultation with unions, local authorities and other parties followed, and HMNB Portland's imminent closure was asserted in the government's defence estimates report published in March 1993, titled Defending Our Future.
FOST ceased operations at Portland on 21 July 1995, with the flag officer Rear Admiral John Tolhurst departing on HMS Argyll for Devonport. While the base's final activities were being wound down, a major ordnance search and removal operation was carried out by the Royal Navy and a diving contractor. The closure was complete when the dockyard and harbour was sold on 29 March 1996 to Portland Port Ltd, a subsidiary of the Dorset-based Langham Industries Ltd. Meanwhile, the proposed closure of RNAS Portland was approved in 1994 and carried out in 1999. Weymouth & Portland Borough Council estimated that the combined closure of the naval-related establishments at Portland had cost the area over 4,000 jobs, along with a loss of £40 million to the local economy.
Modern port
Portland Port Ltd completed their purchase of the harbour on 12 December 1996. Their aim was to develop the ship repair, leisure and tourism potential of the harbour. Under the Portland Harbour Revision Order 1997, Portland Port Group became the statutory harbour authority for Portland Harbour on 1 January 1998, replacing the Queen's Harbour Master. In 2004, changes led to Portland Harbour Authority Ltd becoming the statutory and competent harbour authority, and Portland Port Ltd the port operator.
The commercial port has expanded since its initial establishment. The two earliest tenants were the Defence Research and Evaluation Agency for continued use of the facilities at Bincleaves (and on the northern breakwater arm) and Manor Marine, who occupied the former facilities of the Port Auxiliary Repair Unit. One of the first arrivals to the port in 1997 was the prison ship HM Prison Weare, which remained in use until 2005. The former fleet club building was transformed into the Britannia Passenger Terminal and opened by Prince Philip on 14 July 1999. In April 2000, a contract was signed for a new bunkering jetty and berth, with the Portland Bunker Station coming into operation in 2005.
Commercial activities on the water include specialist diving services for vessels, and repairs and maintenance as well as the bunkering station. The port is used by all nature of vessels from commercial ships such as bulkers, tankers, container carriers, car carriers, survey and reefers to British and foreign naval vessels. Commercial activities on the land of the dock estate include fuel storage, several engineering facilities and a shell fish specialist.
The Portland Harbour Revision Order 2010 provided for the creation of new berths and hardstand areas at the port in order to allow increased commercial activities over the next 50 years. These new facilities were identified as part of a master plan and business strategy developed by the port. The development is designed to increase berthing opportunities and provide more operational land. The four identified development areas are the Britannia terminal area, north of Coaling Pier Island, Camber Quay and the floating dry dock at Queen's Pier.
The port also sees various cruise ship calls bringing visitors to the Dorset area. The Britannia Cruise Terminal, which was opened in 1999 and again after refurbishment in 2005, has seen the likes of Royal Caribbean, Azamara, Club Cruises, Saga and Crystal Cruises use it as a start point for excursions in the wider Dorset region and beyond. In recent years, the number of cruise ship calls have increased at the port, prompting the construction of a cruise berth extension at the Outer Coaling Pier. The new extension was opened by South Dorset's MP Richard Drax in April 2017. In 2018, the maritime engineering company Intermarine UK Ltd established their UK production facility at the port.
In 2022-23, a £26 million project was carried out to increase berthing capacity by demolishing the deep water berth and replacing it with a new 250 metre long one, plus providing a 74 metre extension of the outer coaling pier. In 2023, the controversial accommodation barge Bibby Stockholm arrived at Portland Port to provide accommodation for 506 asylum seekers whose claims are being processed.
Recreation
Following the closure of RNAS Portland, the South West Regional Development Agency acquired the site, renamed it Osprey Quay and developed plans for a regeneration project, which were approved in 2001. With the establishment of the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy on the south-west shore of the harbour in 1999, this part of the harbour quickly became a popular location for windsurfing, sailing and other watersport activities. After redevelopment work was completed, the new academy was opened in 2005 and went on to host the sailing events of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
In 2007, Dean & Reddyhoff Limited began work on constructing Portland Marina, which opened in April 2009. A stone breakwater was built to contain the marina's berths, while various commercial units and a restaurant were built too. The marina and its facilities were approved as a training venue for the Olympic and Paralympic sailing teams. By 2012, the overall Osprey Quay site had been transformed, offering over 11 hectares of business space.
Diving is also a popular activity in the harbour. Although diving on HMS Hood has been prohibited since 2004, other popular wrecks include the Countess of Erme, the Spaniard, the Himalaya, a World War II landing craft, a World War II Bombardon Unit, and a Sea Vixen Royal Navy aircraft.
Grade listed features
The harbour and dockyard has various buildings and structures that are listed.
The inner breakwater, with its jetty, former coaling shed and Inner Pier Head Fort, became Grade II listed in September 1978. At the south-west end of Prince Consort Walk is a commemorative stone, with the Royal Arms and inscription: "From this spot on the 25th July 1849 His Royal Highness Prince Albert, Consort of Queen Victoria, sunk the first stone of this breakwater. Upon the same spot Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, on the 18th August 1872 laid this last stone and declared the work complete. These are imperial works and worthy [of] Kings". The north-eastern face of stone has: "James Meadow Rendel designed this work and directed its execution till his death in 1856. John Coode, the resident engineer from its commencement, then succeeded to its charge and completed it. J.T. Leather was the contractor for the work".
The outer breakwater also became Grade II listed in September 1978, which included the Breakwater Fort. In December 1997, the two northern breakwater arms, towards Weymouth, became Grade II listed as a double feature. On shore at Portland, the former dockyard offices, originally built as the engineer's office in 1848-49, is Grade II listed, along with the former naval police station. The two phoenix caissons of the Mulberry Harbour are Grade II listed.
Incidents involving ships
References
The following is an A-Z list of references for this page.
1) A History of the Bincleaves Site - Derek R. Woodland - The Defence Evaluation & Research Agency - 2001 - book
2) Godfrey Dykes - Cabinet Document - Naval Re-Organisation - 11 February 1958 - PDF document
3) Historic England - The National Heritage List for England - various entries for Portland - website page
4) HM Naval Base Portland - A Consultative Document - 1992 - report
5) Jurassic Agent - The Jurassic Coast: HMS Boscawen - website page
6) Jurassic Agent - The Jurassic Coast: Portland and Weymouth - website page
7) Jurassic Agent - The Jurassic Coast: The Channel Fleet - website page
8) Navy News - "Combined ops" win battle of Ebn Magid - March 1986
9) Portland Harbour and its Defences Report - anonymous author - undated
10) Portland Harbour Consortium - Portland Harbour Study - Drivers Jonas - January 1994 - final report
11) Portland Port & Harbour Authority - Official Website - History - website page
12) Portland Prison Illustrated - D. R. G. Legg - Sprint Signs and Graphics, Weymouth - 2000 - page 5 - book
13) The British Newspaper Archive - various contemporary newspaper articles - website page
14) The Independent - Portland's naval history ends as last warship sails - Will Bennet - July 1995 - website page
15) The Portland Naval Base, Dorset K/428 - Keystone (Historic Buildings Consultants) - Volumes 1 and 2 - 1993 - report
16) The Rise and Fall of Portland Naval Base 1845-1995 - Geoffrey Carter - 1998 - report
17) The Royal Navy at Portland since 1845 - Geoffrey Carter - Maritime Books - 1986 - ISBN: 978-0907771296 - book
18) Wikipedia - Flag Officer Sea Training - website page
Following the recommendations of the Report of the Commissioners Upon the Subject of Harbours of Refuge in 1845, two breakwater arms were constructed in 1849-72 to transform Portland Roads into a harbour of refuge. A second pair, built between 1896-1905, completed the harbour's enclosure. When the first arms were completed in 1872, Portland Harbour was the largest man-made harbour in the world. It is the fourth largest today, after Jebel Ali in Dubai, Ras Laffan Harbour in Qatar and Cherbourg Harbour in France. Portland's four breakwater arms have a total length of 4.57 kilometres (2.84 miles) and enclose some 2,100 acres of water. The port area contains an approximate 31.6 acres of operational land.
The establishment of the harbour of refuge provided a new anchorage for the Royal Navy and was also used by merchant shipping. As Portland's value as a naval station continued to grow into the early 20th century, it was officially designated HM Naval Base Portland (HMNB Portland) in 1923. The base, having played an important role in World War II and peacetime, ceased operations in 1996 following defence budget cuts. The harbour was sold to Portland Port Ltd and is now operated as a commercial port.
History
Creation of harbour of refuge and breakwaters (1844-1872)
The strategic importance and military use of Portland Roads, naturally sheltered on all sides except the east, stems back to Roman times. Later in the 16th century, King Henry VIII had Portland Castle built in 1539-41, along with its sister Sandsfoot Castle, to protect the anchorage. The first suggestion of enclosing the anchorage with a breakwater was proposed by Weymouth postmaster John Harvey in 1794, followed by another from Alexander Lamb in 1812. However, it wasn't until 1845 when the idea of forming a harbour of refuge was approved, following recommendation by the Report of the Commissioners Upon the Subject of Harbours of Refuge.
The Portland Breakwater Act, which was approved by the British government in May 1847, was prompted by the fears of a French invasion, the development of Cherbourg Harbour and concerns over the security of the English Channel. Conveniently placed between Portsmouth and Plymouth on the south coast, Portland was deemed as being an important strategic position for use of the Royal Navy. The engineer James Meadows Rendel was commissioned to produce plans for the harbour scheme. After carrying out a survey of Portland Roads and the surrounding area, Rendel submitted his proposals in 1846 and these were approved the following year.
In 1847, John Coode was hired as the resident engineer and he later became engineer-in-chief for the works following Rendel's death in 1856. Preliminary work began in August 1847 by Messrs J. and C. Rigby of London and they were succeeded in 1850 by John Towlerton Leather as the contractor for the breakwater works. To provide the stone needed to build the breakwaters, the extensive Admiralty Quarries were established around East Cliff and near Grove, while Portland Prison, opened in 1848, provided convict labour within them. The Admiralty Incline Railway was laid to transport wagons containing the stone down to Portland Nore, where the breakwaters were to be built from.
The foundation stone of the breakwaters was laid by Prince Albert on 25 July 1849 and work on the scheme commenced on 11 December that year. Construction of the two arms was carried out using elevated timber staging, on which wagons pulled by locomotives could be taken out to sea. Once the wagons were in position, the use of a lever allowed the stone contained within to be dropped into the sea. During the early stages of the work, Coode proposed that the new harbour of refuge could also be equipped with coaling facilities and approval was gained in 1856 for the construction of a coaling station to serve the Royal Navy's new steam-powered warships.
Work on the breakwaters was virtually complete by the end of 1866 and John Leather's contract expired at that time. The biggest remaining project was the foundations of the Breakwater Fort, which fell under the responsibility of the War Office. The breakwaters were declared complete during a ceremony on 18 August 1872 when the Prince of Wales laid the last stone. Described at the time as "one of the mightiest engineering works in the country", an estimated six million tons of stone was used to build the breakwaters. The cost of the two arms, along with the harbour's coaling station, jetties and waterworks, amounted to £1,033,600. The completed harbour provided a new refuge for both the Royal Navy and merchant shipping. It was split into two anchorages; the western half was designated for merchant ships and the eastern half for naval ships.
Construction of harbour defences
Various defences were constructed to protect Portland Harbour, the largest of which was the 56-acre Verne Citadel, built on Verne Hill, with a commanding position overlooking the harbour. Below the eastern side of the citadel, the East Weare Batteries were constructed as part of the Verne's outworks. At the end of the outer breakwater was the circular Breakwater Fort and on the end of the inner breakwater was the smaller Inner Pier Head Fort. On the Weymouth side of the harbour, the Nothe Fort was constructed on the Nothe Peninsula.
Royal Navy operations at Portland (1845-1914)
The creation of a harbour of refuge and coaling station allowed the Royal Navy to establish a naval station there. In addition to the coaling and watering facilities for the steam-powered warships, a dockyard was gradually developed into the 20th century. As the original coaling facilities were deemed inefficient upon completion, a new coaling pier was later built between 1890-96, with the work undertaken by Messrs Hill & Company of Gosport. Aside from use of the coaling facilities, ships regularly embarked on training exercises and other trials in Portland's waters. For some time, Portland was home to the Channel Fleet, while ships of the Reserve Fleet used the harbour for mobilisation exercises. Meanwhile, trials involving torpedoes first commenced at Portland around 1878.
For the training of young seamen, Portland's first training ship Britannia arrived in 1862, but moved three years later to Dartmouth. In her place, the training ship Boscawen arrived in 1866. She was replaced in 1873 with Trafalgar, though the Boscawen name was retained. Later, two ironclad warships also arrived to serve as training vessels; the Minotaur in 1898 and Agincourt in 1904, and both were christened Boscawen II and Boscawen III respectively. All three training ships were removed from Portland in 1905.
The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw further naval developments at Portland. Following the upgraded coaling facilities, an extension of the coaling pier was undertaken in 1903-06, while to the west, three wooden jetties were constructed for torpedo boat destroyers. Meanwhile, new on-shore facilities saw the expansion of the dockyard to include a range of buildings such as offices and storehouses. A new electric light and power station was built in 1906-07, and further afield was a naval hospital, canteen and recreation grounds. Although rifle ranges had existed at Portland since the 1870s, the surviving range now known as the East Weare Rifle Range was built at the beginning of the 20th century.
In addition to the existing stores within the dockyard, a new naval depot was established at Castletown in the early 20th century, between Portland Castle and Castletown Pier. When oil was introduced as a fuel for the fleet, a number of storage tanks were constructed at Portland from 1905, primarily at the Mere. By 1923, the Mere Oil Fuel Depot contained twenty-two tanks, with an additional four situated elsewhere in the northern region of the island. Portland's first floating dock, AFD VII, arrived in 1914, allowing refits and repairs to be undertaken.
As the Admiralty made increasing use of the torpedo, they requested that Robert Whitehead, the engineer famous for the development of the first effective self-propelled naval torpedo, establish a factory in Britain, in addition to his existing one at Fiume, Austria. Whitehead selected Wyke Regis, on the northern fringes of the harbour, for his torpedo works, which was built in 1891. In addition to manufacturing torpedoes for the Admiralty, the factory used a purpose-built 1,060 yard pier within the harbour for trials and development work. Later in 1898, plans for an Admiralty torpedo range were approved and a short range opened near Bincleaves in 1902. The same period saw a torpedo depot established in existing buildings within Portland's dockyard, while another torpedo range, known as the long range, was in operation from 1917 on the northern arm.
Enclosure of harbour and new defences (1893-1909)
As the end of the 19th century neared, rapid advances in naval warfare and technology, particularly of the torpedo, led to concerns over the harbour's vulnerability. The northern half of the harbour, spanning between the Breakwater Fort and Weymouth, remained open and it was feared that anchoring vessels could be the target of torpedo boat attack. Proposals were made in 1892 to either install a boom spanning the open gap or construct a further two breakwater arms. The latter option was selected the following year, but until work on such a scheme could be authorised by the government and completed, plans were also drawn up for temporary defences. This included a 600 yard bank of stone spanning out from Bincleaves, along with a series of dolphins installed across the remaining gap out to the Breakwater Fort. These dolphins would hold boom defences in place across the open section of the harbour, while some were also fortified with quick-firing guns. The temporary measures were carried out by Messrs Hill & Company in 1894-96, primarily as they held the existing contract for use of the Incline Railway in connection with the coaling pier works.
The scheme for the new breakwaters was given parliamentary approval in 1895 through the Naval Works Acts of 1895-96. Preliminary work commenced at the end of 1895 and construction began around the beginning of April 1896. Much of the construction of the new breakwaters was carried out using hopper barges, whose split-hulls allowed them to drop the stone in place within the harbour. The government contracted Scottish shipbuilders Lobnitz & Company of Renfrew to build the first batch of these barges in November 1895. In 1896, as part of the preliminary work, a new jetty was constructed and new tracks laid on the Incline Railway and in the dockyard. The stone for the breakwaters would be transported down the Incline Railway to the new pier, loaded onto the barges using steam cranes, and the barges were then towed by tugs across the harbour.
The work was initially carried out by workmen directly under the Admiralty's New Works Department. In 1897, it was decided to invite tenders for the breakwater contract which was won at the end of the year by Messrs Hill & Company. All of the Admiralty's plant and machinery was then handed over to the contractor, who took over work from 17 January 1898. In April 1899, the new breakwaters had reached low-water mark and the boom defences installed at the harbour's three entrances were also operational by this point.
Apart from some further work on the Heads, which would be completed in 1905, the completion of the breakwaters was announced in the Naval Estimates of 1904-05, having cost £652,000 in total. The southern end of the north-eastern breakwater was completed with the erection of the Breakwater Lighthouse in 1905, which remains in use today. In 1909, the same breakwater arm would be raised 11ft, allowing storehouses and other buildings to be erected, while the seaward side was given a sloping face to make it more resistant against waves.
During this period, new additions were added to the harbour's existing fortifications and defences too. The Verne High Angle Battery, located south of the Verne Citadel, was completed in 1895, but only saw active military use until 1906. Blacknor Battery, located at West Cliff, was completed in 1902 to defend the western approaches to the harbour, while Upton Battery, built north of Weymouth near Osmington, defended the eastern approaches and was completed in 1903. The three pier heads (A, B and C) of the two new breakwaters were also fortified by the time of their completion in 1905.
Role in World War 1 (1914-1918)
With the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the Grand Fleet assembled at Portland before sailing to Scapa Flow, and the Third Fleet underwent a test mobilisation there. As a measure against torpedo and coastal motor boat attack, the south ship channel was closed in November 1914 with the scuttling of the battleship HMS Hood. Over the course of the war, Portland's waters were regularly used for exercises and firing practice. From 1915, Portland's Auxiliary Patrol, initially made up of trawlers, patrolled the area for German U-Boats, swept mines and protected colliers as part of the French coal trade.
In 1916, a small naval air station was established at the harbour as one of a number along Britain's coast. A slipway was used as a ramp for the seaplanes and a hangar was erected. The station's role was to support patrols by locating U-Boats. In 1917, both Portland and Weymouth were the locations for anti-submarine training and trial work, following the Admiralty's successful experimentation with hydrophones. The shore-based listening school, commissioned under the name HMS Sarepta, was temporarily established at Weymouth in 1917 before moving across to Portland in 1918. It then transferred off-shore to HMS Gibraltar in the harbour in 1919. Most training was undertaken by the 1st Anti-Submarine Flotilla. Meanwhile, Portland's Torpedo Depot was relocated to a new site on the other side of the harbour at Bincleaves. RN Torpedo Depot Weymouth was opened in 1920 and remained in use until 1958.
Interwar years (1919-1939)
Portland's naval base returned to normal peacetime operations after the war. Despite the increasing importance of the harbour to the Royal Navy since the mid-19th century, it was not until 11 December 1923 that Portland was officially declared HM Naval Base Portland (HMNB Portland).
On 1 April 1924, Portland's anti-submarine school was commissioned as HMS Osprey. When an Admiralty re-organisation followed in 1927, all anti-submarine work was concentrated at Portland. In addition to the A/S School, an ASDIC Research and Development Unit was established under HMS Osprey that year. From the moment of its inception, the trials and experiments undertaken by the R&D Unit were highly successful in the development of Asdic and other equipment, while Osprey's anti-submarine school continued to train many officers and sailors in anti-submarine warfare. When another war seemed imminent, HMS Osprey underwent expansion during the 1930s. This same period saw Vickers-Armstrongs, owners of Whitehead's Torpedo Works, open a new torpedo range on the north-eastern breakwater in 1934.
World War II (1939-1945)
With the outbreak of World War II, Portland continued to host ships exercising in the area and anti-submarine research continued. However, after Germany's successful invasion of France, the naval base quickly became the target of air attacks. Activity had to be reduced, and over the course of the war, Portland would see 48 air attacks, in which 532 bombs were dropped. To combat these raids, various light and heavy anti-aircraft batteries were established around Portland and Weymouth, with the Verne Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery being a surviving example. In 1939-41, an underground fuel depot and the Portland Naval Communication Headquarters were constructed within the dockyard region.
In July 1940, the auxiliary anti-aircraft ship HMS Foylebank was attacked by Stuka dive-bombers and sank in the harbour. 176 of the 300 crew were killed, including Jack Foreman Mantle, who was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions in defending the ship despite being mortally injured. He was buried in Portland's Royal Naval Cemetery overlooking the harbour. Due to the air raids, HMS Osprey was transferred to Dunoon in 1941 for the remainder of the war, and the shore establishment at Portland then became the Coastal Forces base HMS Attack.
Once fears of a German invasion had subsided, Portland was in a better position to assist the war effort. On 1 May 1944, the harbour, along with Weymouth's, was commissioned as USNAAB Portland-Weymouth for use as part of D-Day preparations. Both Portland and Weymouth were major embarkation points for American troops, particularly the US 1st Division who embarked for "Omaha Beach" in June 1944. In total, 418,585 troops and 144,093 vehicles would embark from Portland and Weymouth Harbours. The liberation of Europe in 1945 was marked by a local ceremony in August that year, with the American Ambassador John D. Winant unveiling a stone in Victoria Gardens commemorating the harbour's efforts. Earlier on 10 May 1945, U-249 had been the first German submarine to surrender and be taken to a British port following the defeat of Germany. It was escorted into Portland Harbour by HMS Magpie and HMS Amethyst.
Post-war role (1946-1990s)
After the war, Portland saw the return of visiting warships, with exercises regularly taking place in local waters again. The Home Fleet also continued to assemble at Portland on occasion too. In 1946, HMS Osprey returned to Portland, along with the ASDIC R&D Unit, now known as HM Anti-Submarine Experimental Establishment (HMA/SEE), while the Portland Training Squadron was also formed that year for the training of young seamen. In 1947, HMA/SEE became HM Underwater Detection Establishment (HMUDE), which continued to concentrate on the research and development of underwater detection systems, namely sonar.
Meanwhile, the potential use of helicopters in the fleet, especially in an anti-submarine role, led to Sikorsky R-4Bs operating from the naval base between 1945-47. The success of these and other trials by the Admiralty led to the creation of a small airfield at the Mere in 1958-59. RNAS Portland was commissioned under HMS Osprey and focused on the use of helicopters in an anti-submarine role, particularly the training of their crews and associated personnel. RNAS Portland saw expansion in the 1960s onwards and went on to become one of the busiest air stations on the south coast.
In 1946, ten caissons of the war-time Mulberry Harbour were towed to Portland to create a new inner harbour, capable of berthing the Royal Navy's latest Battle class destroyers. In c. 1951, work was completed on a new 400-metre pier in the dockyard known as Q Pier or Queen's Pier. During the same period, reclamation work began south of the pier, providing 4.5 acres of new space known as New Quay, and the removal of the torpedo boat destroyer jetties that had been erected in the 1900s. Eight of the caissons were towed to the Netherlands to repair and block breaches in the dykes, following the great storm of January 1953, and the remaining two were put in place as a wind break for Queen's Pier in c. 1962, where they remain today.
In 1954, the Admiralty Gunnery Establishment was opened at Barrow Hill near Southwell village. Concerns were raised over the naval base in a report of 1955, particularly over the "seriously deficient" facilities in regards to the handling of modern ships. However, First Sea Lord Earl Mountbatten was far more positive following a visit there in 1957. He considered Portland to be an "ideal anti-submarine base and a good workup base", thereby making "an important contribution to the operational efficiency of the Navy in general". It was decided in 1958 that Portland's dockyard should be closed, but the naval base retained. The dockyard closed in 1958-59 as the reduced size of the navy resulted in little need for Portland's repair, refit and docking facilities.
From 1958, the naval base's main role was Flag Officer Sea Training, which was established at Portland by First Sea Lord Louis Mountbatten. The role of FOST was to ensure that Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels were fit to join the operational fleet by testing the crew's readiness through a series of drills and exercises, including war-fighting scenarios and emergencies. Ships underwent a six week work-up programme, while the weekly war-fighting and damage control exercises were given the colloquial name Thursday War as it was usually held weekly on that day. Considered a major success, Portland gained a reputation for being the world's premier naval work-up base and many NATO ships would also train at and frequent the base.
As a result of a rationalisation scheme for Admiralty research, the Gunnery Establishment at Southwell was relocated in 1959 and the complex became the home of the Admiralty Underwater Weapons Establishment. The following year saw the final step of the amalgamation, with the Underwater Detection Establishment being incorporated into the AUWE. The Southwell establishment, known as AUWE(S), was responsible for the design, development and testing of underwater weapons, while the dockyard establishment, known as AUWE(N), continued to focus on underwater detection systems. A third site, known as AUWE(B), was established at the former RN Torpedo Depot at Bincleaves. The AUWE became infamous in 1961 for the espionage infiltration of the Portland Spy Ring.
The outbreak of the Falklands War in 1982 saw Portland's facilities in constant demand. The first ship to depart the United Kingdom ahead of the British Task Force was RMAS Typhoon (A95), an ocean-going tug of the Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service, which headed south from Portland on 4 April 1982. The first wave of the task force would follow the next day, while the second underwent a reduced two week FOST programme at Portland before heading south too.
Final years of operation (1980s-1990s)
During the late 20th century, HMNB Portland's operations continued to revolve around Flag Officer Sea Training, which was supported by a number of other departments, including the Port Auxillary Repair Unit (PARU), Fleet Maintenance Group (FMG), Supply & Transport Operations (Navy) or STO(N), and the Royal Marine Auxiliary Service (RMAS), the latter including the Queen's Harbour Master (QHM). Other departments within the confines of the naval base included the Defence Research Agency (formerly AUWE) and the Sea Systems Controllerate (SSC). Further afield, operations continued at RNAS Portland and the research establishments at Southwell, Bincleaves, Portland Bill and Egdon Hall (Lynch Lane).
A number of notable projects were carried out within and near the base during the 1970s-80s. The Deep Water Berth was added to the Coaling Pier in c. 1978-80 and 1984 saw work commence on a £30 million scheme at Castletown with the construction of two large accommodation blocks, known as the Hardy Site, and a state-of-the-art sports centre known as the Boscawen Centre. In 1986, a new building for the Queen's Harbour Master (QHM) was built at a cost of £927,000. In addition to its operations rooms, the new facility was provided with offices, accommodation and workshops over its three storeys. In 1988, the base's naval headquarters was extended with the construction of a £1.5 million block, providing additional offices for FOST.
End of the Cold War and closure of base (1990-96)
With the imminent end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact in 1991, the UK government launched a defence review known as Options for Change in 1990, as part of plans to rationalise the British Armed Forces and significantly reduce the defence budget. With the proposal of a reduced fleet for the Royal Navy, the transfer of FOST to another location was suggested, which predicted savings of £250 million over the next decade.
The proposed closure of HMNB Portland was formally announced in 1992, while the DERA's own rationalisation scheme saw Portland's two main DERA establishments, "North" and "South", also under threat. The British government believed closing HMNB Portland would save £70 million over the following decade and a further £11 million for each year after. An estimated 550 service and 475 civilian personnel would be affected.
A 1992 consultative report noted: "Portland provides a good base for the conduct of Operational Sea Training, with relatively easy access to sea areas suitable to support most of the OST programme adequately. However, there is spare capacity amongst the Naval Bases to accommodate the reducing Fleet of the 1990's, and although Portland has some unique advantages to support peacetime operations, the Base is not indispensible." In addition, the retention of FOST at Portland was to result in the need for major works and maintenance at an estimated cost of £10 million, with a further £15 million for "upgrading" the base's RMAS fleet.
The threat of closure was met with local opposition. Early estimates from a delegation led by local Conservative MP Ian Bruce suggested the closure of HMNB Portland would result in the loss of 1,400 jobs and cost the local economy £10 million a year. It was estimated that a further 2,260 jobs would be lost if the DERA establishments closed and some of the Ministry of Defence's administration staff were moved to Bristol as proposed.
The closure of HMNB Portland was confirmed by the Minister for the Armed Forces, Archie Hamilton, on 12 November 1992, with FOST to transfer to Devonport and the base to be closed by April 1996. The DERA facilities at Portland Bill and Bincleaves would remain open, as would RNAS Portland, the latter employing 1,200 naval and 200 civilian personnel. A period of consultation with unions, local authorities and other parties followed, and HMNB Portland's imminent closure was asserted in the government's defence estimates report published in March 1993, titled Defending Our Future.
FOST ceased operations at Portland on 21 July 1995, with the flag officer Rear Admiral John Tolhurst departing on HMS Argyll for Devonport. While the base's final activities were being wound down, a major ordnance search and removal operation was carried out by the Royal Navy and a diving contractor. The closure was complete when the dockyard and harbour was sold on 29 March 1996 to Portland Port Ltd, a subsidiary of the Dorset-based Langham Industries Ltd. Meanwhile, the proposed closure of RNAS Portland was approved in 1994 and carried out in 1999. Weymouth & Portland Borough Council estimated that the combined closure of the naval-related establishments at Portland had cost the area over 4,000 jobs, along with a loss of £40 million to the local economy.
Modern port
Portland Port Ltd completed their purchase of the harbour on 12 December 1996. Their aim was to develop the ship repair, leisure and tourism potential of the harbour. Under the Portland Harbour Revision Order 1997, Portland Port Group became the statutory harbour authority for Portland Harbour on 1 January 1998, replacing the Queen's Harbour Master. In 2004, changes led to Portland Harbour Authority Ltd becoming the statutory and competent harbour authority, and Portland Port Ltd the port operator.
The commercial port has expanded since its initial establishment. The two earliest tenants were the Defence Research and Evaluation Agency for continued use of the facilities at Bincleaves (and on the northern breakwater arm) and Manor Marine, who occupied the former facilities of the Port Auxiliary Repair Unit. One of the first arrivals to the port in 1997 was the prison ship HM Prison Weare, which remained in use until 2005. The former fleet club building was transformed into the Britannia Passenger Terminal and opened by Prince Philip on 14 July 1999. In April 2000, a contract was signed for a new bunkering jetty and berth, with the Portland Bunker Station coming into operation in 2005.
Commercial activities on the water include specialist diving services for vessels, and repairs and maintenance as well as the bunkering station. The port is used by all nature of vessels from commercial ships such as bulkers, tankers, container carriers, car carriers, survey and reefers to British and foreign naval vessels. Commercial activities on the land of the dock estate include fuel storage, several engineering facilities and a shell fish specialist.
The Portland Harbour Revision Order 2010 provided for the creation of new berths and hardstand areas at the port in order to allow increased commercial activities over the next 50 years. These new facilities were identified as part of a master plan and business strategy developed by the port. The development is designed to increase berthing opportunities and provide more operational land. The four identified development areas are the Britannia terminal area, north of Coaling Pier Island, Camber Quay and the floating dry dock at Queen's Pier.
The port also sees various cruise ship calls bringing visitors to the Dorset area. The Britannia Cruise Terminal, which was opened in 1999 and again after refurbishment in 2005, has seen the likes of Royal Caribbean, Azamara, Club Cruises, Saga and Crystal Cruises use it as a start point for excursions in the wider Dorset region and beyond. In recent years, the number of cruise ship calls have increased at the port, prompting the construction of a cruise berth extension at the Outer Coaling Pier. The new extension was opened by South Dorset's MP Richard Drax in April 2017. In 2018, the maritime engineering company Intermarine UK Ltd established their UK production facility at the port.
In 2022-23, a £26 million project was carried out to increase berthing capacity by demolishing the deep water berth and replacing it with a new 250 metre long one, plus providing a 74 metre extension of the outer coaling pier. In 2023, the controversial accommodation barge Bibby Stockholm arrived at Portland Port to provide accommodation for 506 asylum seekers whose claims are being processed.
Recreation
Following the closure of RNAS Portland, the South West Regional Development Agency acquired the site, renamed it Osprey Quay and developed plans for a regeneration project, which were approved in 2001. With the establishment of the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy on the south-west shore of the harbour in 1999, this part of the harbour quickly became a popular location for windsurfing, sailing and other watersport activities. After redevelopment work was completed, the new academy was opened in 2005 and went on to host the sailing events of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
In 2007, Dean & Reddyhoff Limited began work on constructing Portland Marina, which opened in April 2009. A stone breakwater was built to contain the marina's berths, while various commercial units and a restaurant were built too. The marina and its facilities were approved as a training venue for the Olympic and Paralympic sailing teams. By 2012, the overall Osprey Quay site had been transformed, offering over 11 hectares of business space.
Diving is also a popular activity in the harbour. Although diving on HMS Hood has been prohibited since 2004, other popular wrecks include the Countess of Erme, the Spaniard, the Himalaya, a World War II landing craft, a World War II Bombardon Unit, and a Sea Vixen Royal Navy aircraft.
Grade listed features
The harbour and dockyard has various buildings and structures that are listed.
The inner breakwater, with its jetty, former coaling shed and Inner Pier Head Fort, became Grade II listed in September 1978. At the south-west end of Prince Consort Walk is a commemorative stone, with the Royal Arms and inscription: "From this spot on the 25th July 1849 His Royal Highness Prince Albert, Consort of Queen Victoria, sunk the first stone of this breakwater. Upon the same spot Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, on the 18th August 1872 laid this last stone and declared the work complete. These are imperial works and worthy [of] Kings". The north-eastern face of stone has: "James Meadow Rendel designed this work and directed its execution till his death in 1856. John Coode, the resident engineer from its commencement, then succeeded to its charge and completed it. J.T. Leather was the contractor for the work".
The outer breakwater also became Grade II listed in September 1978, which included the Breakwater Fort. In December 1997, the two northern breakwater arms, towards Weymouth, became Grade II listed as a double feature. On shore at Portland, the former dockyard offices, originally built as the engineer's office in 1848-49, is Grade II listed, along with the former naval police station. The two phoenix caissons of the Mulberry Harbour are Grade II listed.
Incidents involving ships
- Enecuri - 28 December 1900 - a Spanish steamship which drifted within the harbour during a gale and was driven onto the outer breakwater. The entire crew of 26 were saved by soldiers stationed at the Breakwater Fort, although the captain and his dog lost their lives when they returned on-board the vessel the following day, during which time the vessel finally slid under the waves.
- Countess of Erne - 16 September 1935 - a former paddle steamer converted into a coal hulk. During a gale, she broke from her mooring in Portland Harbour and sank after colliding into the north-eastern breakwater.
- HMS Eskimo - 17 May 1939 - a Tribal-class destroyer which suffered a gun explosion in the harbour, causing the death of Able Seaman Alexander Phimister and serious injury to three others.
- Himalaya - 12 June 1940 - a former passenger and later troopship for the Royal Navy, converted into a coal hulk in 1895. She sank in the harbour during an air raid of German Junkers Ju 87s.
- HMS Foylebank - 4 July 1940 - a merchant ship converted into an anti-aircraft ship for the Royal Navy in 1939. She sank during a German air raid while berthed in the harbour. The attack lasted eight minutes, resulting in 22 successful hits from the German Junkers Ju 87s and the death of 176 of the 298 crew on-board. The forward section was salvaged in 1947 and broken up in Falmouth, while the remaining section was raised in 1952 and broken up at Thos W Ward Grays in Essex.
- HMS Illustrious - 17 October 1948 - a motor pinnace containing fifty liberty men from the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious sank in the harbour with a loss of 29 lives. The pinnace had departed for the carrier from Weymouth Pier shortly after 10pm in adverse conditions. It capsized as the boat had been overloaded, failed to reduce its speed or turn back to Weymouth when it encountered increasingly harsh conditions. The pinnace foundered around fifty yards from Illustrious. At the time, a crew member of Weymouth's lifeboat had commented to the Hull Daily Mail: "When we got to the spot, the liberty launch was on the bottom. There was no sign of survivors. The sea was very choppy, and it was blowing so hard that the men never had a chance."
- HMS Sidon - 16 June 1955 - an S-class submarine which sank in the harbour after a faulty "Fancy" torpedo exploded on-board, killing thirteen of the crew. Those injured were taken to Portland's Royal Naval Hospital. The submarine was raised a week later and sunk as an ASDIC target in Lyme Bay in June 1957.
- HMS Alliance - 29 September 1971 - an A-class submarine which suffered a battery explosion while at HMNB Portland, resulting in the death of Control Electrical Artificer Raymond Kimber and injury to thirteen of the crew. The injured were taken to HMS Osprey's sick bay and Weymouth Hospital for treatment. The explosion occurred in the early hours of the morning in the battery compartment, which was located below the ratings' sleeping quarters.
- Ebn Magid - 28 January 1986 - a Liberian cargo ship which caught fire in the English Channel and was towed into Portland Harbour. She was soon berthed at the Coaling Pier, allowing naval and county firemen to attempt to extinguish the fire, while other naval and civilian staff removed some of the cargo. An explosion within the holds on 29 January saw the fire continue to spread, prompting RMAS tugs to push the ship away from the pier and run it aground at the harbour's W3 anchorage. Firemen spent much of the day tackling the flames, which included the partial flooding of the ship's three holds. She was refloated on 10 February and soon towed to Milford Haven for the unloading of her remaining damaged cargo. The ship was later taken to Bruges, Belgium in November for scrapping by Brugse Scheepssloperij N.V.
- HMS Plymouth - 25 July 1986 - the Rothesay-class frigate suffered a boiler room fire while berthed at Portland, during her final week of working up under FOST. The fire took an hour to extinguish and involved fifty firemen. One crewman was killed, another died of his injuries in hospital five days later, while a further sixteen crewmen were injured, most of whom suffered smoke inhalation. The ship made its way to Rosyth for repairs ten days after the incident.
References
The following is an A-Z list of references for this page.
1) A History of the Bincleaves Site - Derek R. Woodland - The Defence Evaluation & Research Agency - 2001 - book
2) Godfrey Dykes - Cabinet Document - Naval Re-Organisation - 11 February 1958 - PDF document
3) Historic England - The National Heritage List for England - various entries for Portland - website page
4) HM Naval Base Portland - A Consultative Document - 1992 - report
5) Jurassic Agent - The Jurassic Coast: HMS Boscawen - website page
6) Jurassic Agent - The Jurassic Coast: Portland and Weymouth - website page
7) Jurassic Agent - The Jurassic Coast: The Channel Fleet - website page
8) Navy News - "Combined ops" win battle of Ebn Magid - March 1986
9) Portland Harbour and its Defences Report - anonymous author - undated
10) Portland Harbour Consortium - Portland Harbour Study - Drivers Jonas - January 1994 - final report
11) Portland Port & Harbour Authority - Official Website - History - website page
12) Portland Prison Illustrated - D. R. G. Legg - Sprint Signs and Graphics, Weymouth - 2000 - page 5 - book
13) The British Newspaper Archive - various contemporary newspaper articles - website page
14) The Independent - Portland's naval history ends as last warship sails - Will Bennet - July 1995 - website page
15) The Portland Naval Base, Dorset K/428 - Keystone (Historic Buildings Consultants) - Volumes 1 and 2 - 1993 - report
16) The Rise and Fall of Portland Naval Base 1845-1995 - Geoffrey Carter - 1998 - report
17) The Royal Navy at Portland since 1845 - Geoffrey Carter - Maritime Books - 1986 - ISBN: 978-0907771296 - book
18) Wikipedia - Flag Officer Sea Training - website page
Gallery
These images can be enlarged by clicking on them. Some images have information attached to them, and to view this you can either enlarge the image or hover the mouse over each thumbnail.
HMS Portland Open Day - March 2015
On 8 March 2015, HMS Portland, a Type 23 frigate of the British Royal Navy, held a public open day within Portland Port. Having arrived the previous day, the ship's opening allowed the public the opportunity to see the vessel and gain an understanding of what the ship is involved in.
Historical engravings and photographs
The coastal defences of Portland Harbour
A plan of the major defences and fortifications built to defend Portland Harbour, focusing mainly on the Victorian period onwards. They are colour-coded based on the period during which they were constructed. The plan can be opened by clicking on it.
