Listed Building record MDO6498 - St George's Church, Reforne, Portland

Former Anglican parish church, now in care of Redundant Churches Fund. Building started in 1754 to designs of Thomas Gilbert, master stone-mason, and the church was consecrated 1766. The building has walls in Portland ashlar with lead roofs, except on the sanctuary which is slate.

Church of St. George, Reforne. Founded in 1754 as the parish church to replace St. Andrew's Church it was consecrated in 1766. Since the completion of All Saints' Church in 1917, it is now only used for burials and occasional services. A complete example of a mid 18th century building, "the design, somewhat lacking in serviceability, reflects the work of the artificer rather than the architect". <2-3>

<1> Poston, R, 1969, Portland St. George (Monograph). SDO18203.

<2> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 2, 247-249 (Monograph). SDO149.

‘(1) Former PARISH CHURCH OF ST. GEORGE (Plates 143, 144) stands in the middle of the Island at the W. end of Reforne. The walls are of Portland stone ashlar in courses averaging 15 ins. high, the chancel roof is covered with slates and the other roofs are covered with lead. The church was begun in 1754 and consecrated in 1766. The stone surround to the eye of the dome over the vestry in the ground storey of the tower is inscribed ‘Thomas Gilbert of this island architect and builder of this church A.D. 1758’. The N. porch was added early in the 19th century. After the completion of All Saints; Church (3) in 1917, St. George’s was used only as a mortuary chapel, and is now not used at all.

The church is of much interest for its plan and early 19th-century internal arrangement (Plate 144). The design, somewhat lacking in sensibility, reflects the work of the artificer rather than of the architect, though the symmetrical side elevations centering upon the transepts and the W. tower are remarkable compositions. Thomas Gilbert came of a family of local masons engaged in the stone-quarrying business.’

<3> Newman, J, and Pevsner, N, 1972, The Buildings of England: Dorset, 343 (Monograph). SWX1290.

<4> Ordnance Survey, 1:2500 scale, 1975 (Map). SWX1197.

(SY 6865 7200) St. George's Church [NAT]

<5> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BF051584 (Index). SDO14738.

St George's Church, PORTLAND

<6> National Record of the Historic Environment, 868100 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Aug 22 2024 7:57PM