The Isle of Portland
Having photographed his home county of Dorset for more than fifty years, Roger Lane takes a journey back in time with some of his Portland images, mostly from the 1970s
Published in April ’21
Early morning light on Portland Bill. To the left of the lighthouse can be seen an obelisk on which the carved initials, ‘TH’, stand not for Thomas Hardy but for Trinity House. The rugged coastal location is noted for its treacherous seas, resulting in many shipwrecks around Portland Bill and Chesil. Surrounding the Bill are shallow reefs, ledges and the famous Portland Race, caused by a clashing of the tides. As far back as Roman times, fires and beacons were lit to warn ships of the dangerous coast. As the English Channel became increasingly used as the main shipping route, Trinity House built two lighthouses on the Bill in 1716; these were operated until 1906, when the new Portland lighthouse we see today replaced them. The Trinity House obelisk was built in 1844 as a day marker.
FOR me, Portland is one of the most intriguing and atmospheric landscapes I have photographed in Dorset. During the late 1960s I was a member of the Coloursound Audio Visual group from Wimborne, all members of the Wimborne Camera Club who performed slide shows throughout Dorset in aid of many local charities and communities. In 1970 I produced a documentary about the ‘island’.
I was initially warned that Portlanders…
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