Portland (St. George, Reforne)

St. George, Reforne (Portland)

Sometimes known as St George, Easton.

The church was designed and built between 1754 and 1766 by a local mason, Thomas Gilbert; Newman and Pevsner describe it as the "most impressive C18 church in Dorset." It is built of Portland Stone, and has a west tower, nave, transepts and apse. The design seems to show the influence of Sir Christopher Wren. The interior retains its period feel, with twin pulpits, box pews and galleries. The church has a dramatic setting; in a large churchyard on the island's plateau.

The church replaced the old St Andrew's Church at Church Ope Cove (on the east coast), which was then abandoned. The new church was - in turn - closed in 1914, finally being declared redundant in 1970. It is now in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust.

Sources:

• Betjeman, J., Sir John Betjeman's guide to English parish churches, revised and updated by Nigel Kerr. London: HarperCollins, 1993, p. 184.
• Chatfield, M., Churches the Victorians forgot. Ashbourne: Moorland Publishing, 1979, pp. 29-31.
• Dorset Historic Churches Trust, Dorset Churches. [Dorchester]: DHCT, 1988, p. 40.
• Hutchins, J. The history and antiquities of the County of Dorset, 3rd ed., edited by W. Shipp and J.W. Hodson, Westminster: J.B. Nichols, 1861-1873.
• Jenkins, S. England's thousand best churches. London: Allen Lane, the Penguin Press, 1999, p. 159.
• Mee, A., ed., Dorset: Thomas Hardy's country. The King's England. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1939, pp. 186-191.
• Newman, J. and Pevsner, N., The buildings of England: Dorset. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1972, pp. 341-342.
• Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), An inventory of historical monuments in the County of Dorset, Vol. 2, South-East Dorset. London: HMSO, 1970, pt. 2, pp. 247-249.
• Churches Conservation Trust page: http://www.visitchurches.org.uk/Ourchurches/Completelistofchurches/St-Georges-Church-Portland-Dorset/

St. George, Reforne (Portland)

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Maintained by Michael Day, Last updated: 20 October 2013.