Listing Text

PORTLAND

SY67SE PORTLAND HARBOUR, H.M. Naval Base
969-1/1/159 Inner Breakwater with Victualling
21/09/78 Store

II

Breakwater, jetty, and former victualling store. Begun 1849,
completed 1872. Stone and brick. Designed by James Meadow
Rendel and carried out by contractor J.T.Leather. Total length
c 750m inclusive of jetty, which also returns to the E in The
Camber. The breakwater S face is strewn with large boulders;
the N face, which carries Prince Consort Walk, is in a series
of casements to segmental heads on broad buttresses, brick
vaulted and stone faced. Small fort at outer (E) end at the
South Ship Channel. Breakwater wall carries on to W as jetty
retaining wall and to south side of Victualling Store in large
bolstered stone blocks, to a battered face. The extent of this
revetment to the east concealed by later structures. The
Victualling Store of c 1850 is a long 11-bay stone structure
in two parallel ranges to gabled ends W and E; roof corrugated
iron, broken by two raised and coped 'party divisions', which
do not correspond with the main bay articulation. The S side
has 11 sunk panels, divided by a high band, series of
segmental-headed openings near ground level, and 4 larger
openings, in bays 3,4,6 and 8. West gables over large
lunettes, and similar panelling; N front as S, but two
staircases to upper doors; and E gables are in brick above the
eaves line. This building is said to have been used as a
railway terminal. At the south-west end of Prince Consort Walk
is a carved commemorative stone, with the Royal Arms and
inscription: "From this spot on the 25th July 1849 His Royal
Highness Prince Albert, Consort of Queen Victoria, sunk the
first stone of this breakwater. Upon the same spot Albert
Edward, Prince of Wales, on the 18th August 1872 laid this
last stone and declared the work complete. These are imperial
works and worthy (of) Kings". NE face of stone has:"James
Meadow Rendel designed this work and directed its execution
till his death in 1856. John Coode, the resident engineer from
its commencement, then succeeded to its charge and completed
it. J.T. Leather was the contractor for the work".
(Royal Commission on Historical Monuments: Dorset: London:
1970-: 253).

Listing NGR: SY6980174314