Portland Churches, Buildings and Views


 
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St Peter's Church, The Grove - Portland

St Peter's Church, The Grove, also sometimes known as the Convict Church

1872. (August 27). St. Peter's Church, the Grove, was opened. It was built of Portland stone by convict labour.*

St. Peter's Church is a modern stone building, principally for prison officials. I was built by convict labour, and cost �2,400. It is in the Byzantine style of the twelfth century and was designed by Sir Edmund Duncan.*

Designed by Captain (later Major General) Edmund du Cane, RE, this church was built by the convicts in 1872, with much of the furniture also being made by these same people, including the pulpit and lectern. There are also some mosaics, which are also worthy of mention, laid under the supervision of Constance Kent, a resident of Parkhurst, who was convicted for murdering her brother (details of this case can be found on a number of web sites). I understand that the church is now closed and it needs a special licence to be issued for marriages etc.

  • Services: *
    Sunday 11 a.m., 6.10 p.m.
    Wednesdays (during the summer months 7.15 p.m.
  • Vicar: Rev. L. Mason (instituted 1905)
  • Church Wardens: Messrs. Mayes and Binning
  • Organist: Miss Bentley.
  • Clerk: Mr. J. Pound, 40, Easton

* Portland Year Book 1905

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� Paul Benyon