Monument record MDO6570 - Portland Bill stone loading quay, Portland

(SY 67976848) Typical 19th century quay cut from the rock and used for loading Portland Stone. This is a complex example of the once proliferous quays along this coast, and has a tall, manually operated jib crane. It also has an unidentified metal feature and timber quay furniture. <1>

This could be the same site as ‘Sturt Shipping Place’ on a map of 1800 (2) and ‘Shipping Place’ in 1837. (3) The crane is known as 'Red Crane'.

Documented. <4>

<1> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 2, 247 (Monograph). SDO149.

<2> F Webb and Co Salisbury, 1800, A Map of the Isle of Portland (Map). SDO10235.

<3> Driver, E and G N, 1837, Plan of a Customary Freehold Estate in the Isle of Portland, For Sale (Map). SDO10347.

<4> English Heritage, 1997, Monuments Protection Programme Step 3 Report: The Quarrying Industries, Dorset 3 (Monograph). SDO20419.

‘Stone loading quay. A typical stone loading quay, consisting of a flattened area cut out of rock with a metal crane, designated as three tons, with an adjacent capstan; both structures are very rusty. There is a dump of stone blocks with metal fittings still attached to the north of the crane and another dump of dressed stone to the south. A number of recesses and projecting bolts are visible both in the surface and sides of the quay. A rail projecting from rubble to the west of the quay suggests that it was originally served by a tramway.’

<5> National Record of the Historic Environment, 451548 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Aug 18 2025 4:29PM