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Let me tell you about our town. Here you will be able to see a range of pictures of our Town, if you want a larger full size picture just click on the small one. Click 'Back' to return to this page.
There is a full history of the area, in great detail on a separate page. Click Here to read this.
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ABOUT PORTISHEAD TOWN
Portishead’s
history dates back to the Roman times.
Its name derives from the ‘port at the head of the
river’. The town was built on the mouth of a
small tributary; indeed the High Street once met the water
at the top of the river.
Iron rings, evidence of where the old fishing boats
used to moor can still be seen today on the street’s stone
walls.
The
town retains a slightly old-fashioned atmosphere where local
traders and shopkeepers know the many faces of their
customers. The
town centre is a particularly friendly place to visit with
wide pavements and colourful arrangements of flowers
throughout the main thoroughfare during the summer period.
The
dominant architecture is early Victorian with many buildings
maintaining their original features.
Around 1836 at the height of the iron and steel era,
a deep-water dock was built to facilitate the large ships
that brought valuable cargoes from across the globe and
exported local products overseas.
For over 50 years a major coal-fed power station
operated alongside the dock. Ships carrying coal were commonplace in
Portishead Docks. Industrial
activities ceased in the dock with the closure of the Power
Station in 1980. The
dock has however been well preserved and is now the centre
of a new and exciting marina development attracting interest
from all over the country.
When work is finished, the new marina will provide
over 400 floating berths and approximately 100 dry berths
for a range of sailing and leisure craft. The mouth of the
dock sits on the edge of the deep water shipping channel on
the Bristol Channel where large ocean going super-tankers
and coasters as well as a host of pleasure craft can be seen
regularly sailing the waters.
Population
The
current population of Portishead is
approximately 18,000. Due to the new house-building
programme in the area a further 8,000 people are expected to
settle in the area over the next few years making Portishead
one of the largest towns in North Somerset.
Leisure
and sports activities
We
have a brand new sports and leisure complex which was partly
funded by the National Lottery as well as funds from the
Town Council and North Somerset Council.
It houses a large swimming pool, leisure and play
pools, indoor bowls, 6 badminton courts, gymnasium, fun room
for toddlers, cafeteria, licensed bar etc.
Other sporting facilities in the town include open
air tennis courts, a large outdoor swimming-pool, boating
lake, cricket grounds, football and hockey pitches as well
as many cycle lanes for those who enjoy getting out and
about.
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