Portland Castle

Portland, or the New Castle, is one of the blockhouses built by Henry VIII. about 1530-39, when apprehensive of invasion by the navies of Catholic countries. He visited the S. coasts in person, and caused a careful examination to be made to determine where forts should be placed to defend the weak spots and prevent a landing. This castle, on the N. of the Isle of Portland, commands the harbour of Weymouth upon the S.W. side, while Sandsfoot, opposite, near Weymouth, would cover with its fire the N.E. side. Henry granted the place, as he did Wareham, to three of his Queens, Jane Seymour, Katharine Howard, and Katharine Parr. In 1588 it was garrisoned and received stores in anticipation of the coming of the Armada. In the seventeenth-century wars Portland Castle was besieged several times and taken once, in 1643, by stratagem, when the Royalists found in it the plunder of Wardour Castle. Colonel William Ashburnham was besieged here for four months, till relieved by the Earl of Cleveland in 1644. In 1645 it Was again attacked by the Parliamentary forces, and surrendered in April 1646.

In 1815 the castle was conveyed to the family of Manning, but on the death of the late Captain Manning it reverted to the Crown. The building consists of an oblong walled enclosure in rear, with a circular fronted tower with battery in front, and enclosed by the wall, standing immediately above high-water line on the shore. In a little closet in the old guardroom is the following inscription on the wall in old English letters: “God save Kinge Henri the VIII of that name, and Prins Edward, begotten of Quene Jane, my ladi Mari that goodi virgin, and the ladi Elizabeth so towardli, with the Kinges honorable counselers”. (Castles Of England, Sir James D. Mackenzie, 1896)