English Heritage sites near Portesham Parish

Abbotsbury Abbey Remains

ABBOTSBURY ABBEY REMAINS

2 miles from Portesham Parish

Part of a monastic building, perhaps the abbot’s lodging, of Benedictine Abbotsbury Abbey, Henry VIII ordered its destruction during the Dissolution in 1538. St Catherine's Chapel is nearby.

Abbotsbury, St Catherine's Chapel

ABBOTSBURY, ST CATHERINE'S CHAPEL

3 miles from Portesham Parish

Set high on a hilltop overlooking Abbotsbury Abbey, this sturdily buttressed and barrel-vaulted 14th-century chapel was built by monks as a place of pilgrimage and retreat.

Kingston Russell Stone Circle

KINGSTON RUSSELL STONE CIRCLE

3 miles from Portesham Parish

A late Neolithic or early Bronze Age circle of 18 fallen stones, on a hilltop overlooking Abbotsbury and the sea.

The Nine Stones

THE NINE STONES

3 miles from Portesham Parish

Now in a wooded glade, this small prehistoric circle of nine standing stones was constructed around 4,000 years ago and is surrounded by a mysterious air. Winterbourne Poor Lot Barrows are nearby.

Winterbourne Poor Lot Barrows

WINTERBOURNE POOR LOT BARROWS

4 miles from Portesham Parish

A 'cemetery' of 44 Bronze Age burial mounds of varying types and sizes, straddling the A35 main road.

Maiden Castle

MAIDEN CASTLE

4 miles from Portesham Parish

Among the largest and most complex of Iron Age hillforts in Europe, Maiden Castle’s huge multiple ramparts enclose an area the size of 50 football pitches and once protected hundreds of residents.


Churches in Portesham Parish

Portesham: St Peter

Church Lane Portesham Weymouth
(01305) 873978
https://www.chesilchurches.co.uk/st-peters-portesham.html

St Peter's is a lovely old church in a typical Dorset village nestled into a valley two miles inland from the famous Chesil Beach.Parts of St Peter's Church, Portesham have stood at the centre of the village for 900 years. The base of the tower at St Peter's Portesham is believed to be early Norman, even Saxon. The main body of the church dates to the 12th and 13th centuries.

The church and churchyard also have some old graves; some of them with quite interesting stories. For example, William Weare wanted to be buried ‘neither in the church nor outside it', so he was interred in the wall.There is also a gravestone with an angel wearing a woolly jumper.


The church is open daily to be a haven of peace. The chancel offers a secluded space for private prayer. Please leave prayer requests on the prayer tree. Please write in our visitors book, we like to see your comments. The comment 'peaceful'. We do have a children's corner if needed but it is lovely for children to join in our worship and be part of and in the congregation, not at the back.

At present the church is embarking on a re-ordering project to add a servery and a toilet, this will enable the church to be used more by the community as we will be able to host concerts, exhibitions and offer refreshments.

The church hosts a Craft group and holds a Tea+chat cafe every 2 week.


The churchyard is a typical country churchyard with snowdrops and violets in the Spring and a mass of cyclamen in September, all within the sound of the stream that runs alongside the village street. 

 We are part of the Dorset Wildlife Trust's 'Living Churchyard' Project, managing the churchyard for the benefit of wildlife.  At times part of the grass will remain uncut to allow wild flowers to flourish, over 70 different  species have been identified, this will encourage a variety of insects to the ares which in turn will bring in more birds.  A survey in 1994 identified over 50 lichen species.  In 2011 we entered the Living Churchyard Competition for the first time and won the Best New Entry section, in 2012 we were Runners-Up in the same category.  In 2013 we were delighted to win the Bishop's Prize for our Churchyard.


Please take a look at out Fb page     https://www.facebook.com/APLHBEN


St Bartholomew, Corton

Corton Weymouth
(01305) 873978

St Bartholomew's is a tiny 13th century church with a Purbeck Marble altar that is possibly older than the church. It is situated in a farmyard in the hills above Portesham with beautiful views toward Portland. Although there are no regular services there are about five special services through the year; usually Easter Morning, Rogation, Harvest, St Bartholomew's Day and a Carol Service.
It is a lovely peaceful place that charms all who visit.
Because of the steep path to the church there is no disabled access


Pubs in Portesham Parish

King's Arms

2 Front Street, Portesham, DT3 4ET
(01305) 871342
kingsarmsportesham.co.uk/

Large open plan family pub in centre of village. Large garden and patio features a stream, ducks and dove-cote. Meals served all day at weekends and in summer. Nowadays tends to cater for diners but drinkers are catered for with seating at...