Portishead, which lies near the mouth of
the River Avon just eight miles from Bristol,
was a fishing port during a previous existence dating from the 14th
century. There are still iron rings
visible in the High Street where the boats used to moor. Later, in 1497, Portishead played a key part in the discovery of the New World when the navigator John Cabot sailed
from here in a small caravel called The Matthew bound for North
America. A replica of The Matthew can be seen in Bristol;
I had the pleasure of seeing it in action on a recent visit, taking passengers
on a trip around the harbour. Another
chapter in Portishead's history came with the establishment of the Docks, which
were used to service coal-carrying ships which were too large to enter Bristol Harbour.
During the war Portishead Radio, a station which existed from 1928 to
2000, played an important part in maintaining communications with British
merchant vessels and with patrol aircraft in the North
Atlantic.
The Docks are now gone, and the present-day
Portishead is largely a commuter town for people working in Bristol.
The focal point nowadays is the Marina
with a variety of bars, restaurants and cafes surrounded by residential
apartments. Residents and visitors alike
have at their disposal a Victorian High Street, a Boating Lake and and open-air swimming pool in the summer months, while a walk out to the the Portishead
Point Lighthouse at Battery Point offers stunning views across to Wales. The lighthouse was built in 1931 and is a mere 9 metres high. Nearby attractions include the Gordano Valley National Nature Reserve and the Clevedon Coast Path.
Music lovers may have heard the name
Portishead before: one of the bands typifying the 'Bristol Sound' (see previous
post) named themselves after the town when they formed in 1991 and they also
bestowed the name on their second album.
The Portishead scene is enlivened by a number of events through the
year, including a carnival, a flower show, a raft race and a Victorian Evening
in the run up to Christmas.
Map of the area.
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| Portishead Point - geograph.org.uk - 329775. Photo by Roger Cornfoot, via Wikimedia Commons. |
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