Portesham


Old postcards courtesy of Jacky Machin

The parish of Portesham, also called Portisham in earlier days, is situated in south-central Dorset, a mere two miles from the south coast of England.  It is approximately 8 miles south-west of Dorchester, 7 miles north-west of Weymouth and 2 miles north-east of Abbotsbury.
The Portesham church of St. Peter is an ancient Gothic structure with a square  tower, with battlements and bells. 
The parish of Portesham includes the whole of the village by that name, together with the hamlets of Waddon, Coryates, Shilvinghampton, as well as the homesteads of Bench, How, Corton, Friar Waddon, Friar Waddon Huish, Corton Huish, Clover and Brick Kiln.  At the time of the 1851 census, the parish of Portesham could boast 146 houses and a population of 767, occupying an area of 4,540 acres.  There was a Free School at Coryates.  


I have been OPC of Portesham from the latter half of 2004.  Data is being slowly transcribed and will be placed on the Dorset OPC site, as available.  Please note that I live across the Atlantic from Portesham and Dorchester.  You can contact me, at the address provided on this page;   

Contact Peter Ferreira
Census Census are being transcribed
1841 Census   
1851 Census 
1861 Census, 
1871 Census
1881 Census
1891 Census
Parish Registers
 The parish registers date from 1567 and the Bishop's Transcripts from 1731.
Postal Directories Extract from 1880 Kelly's Directory
Maps The 1891 ordnance survey maps of the parish can be seen at the old-maps site, just enter 'Portesham or Portisham' under place search.
PorteshamMap.jpg (281561 bytes) For modern location maps visit:-  www.multimap.com

For a 1920's map of the area click on the thumbnail on the left. [275kb]

OPC  PAGE