Portland is situated in latitude north 50' 31' 23"; longitude west 2' 26' 40" and is three miles south east from Weymouth by sea and land.

The entrance is on the north by a bridge erected over the Fleet.

Up to the year 1839 the transit was by a ferry boat.

The passage of water is called Smallmouth, and here there was formerly a breast work in the form of a half moon.

The Island is four miles long and 1� broad at its widest part.

The great increase in population from 2,852 in 1841 to 8,468 in 1861, was due principally to the presence of the convicts and military. For the same reason the number of males greatly exceeds that of the females.

Among the curiosities in the Island is a fine specimen of a fossil tree erected against a house at the top of Fortune's Well.

The fossil remains of a wild boar have also been found in the Island.

The highest ground is 496 feet above sea level.

The pebbles on Chesil Beach generally consist of white calcareous spar.

The Chesil Bank is 17 miles long.

Chesil is Anglo-Saxon for pebble.

The Island is one continuous bed or rock of freestone, and the soil, though shallow is good.

Rufus or "Bow and Arrow" Castle belongs to and forms part of the grounds of Pennsylvania Castle, now the property of J. Merrick Head, Esq., J.P.

The Castle is a handsome stone edifice, and was built by the late John Penn, of Stoke Park, Bucks (Governor of the Island of Portland), from designs by James Wyatt.

"The Lugger" Inn was the first house on the Island to have glass windows.

Easton Square, Top Hill and the Fortune's Well Wesleyan Chapel, Underhill, are at the same height above sea level.

The "Portland Arms" was a favourite resort of King George III at Portland. His Majesty often dined there. The old china meat dish, which was left by him at the hotel, was sold in September, 1908, for �300.

Portland stone first cause into repute in the time of James I, who made use of it by the advice of his architects for the banqueting house at Whitehall.

St. Paul's Cathedral and many other magnificent edifices were built with it.

The Island never gave any title of Honour till Sir Richard Weston, of Roxwell, Essex, was made Earl of Portland by Queen Elizabeth.