| St George's Church, | |
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St George's Church, Portland, view of the tower from the west |
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| Basic information | |
| Location | Isle of Portland, Dorset, England |
| Affiliation | Church of England |
| Year consecrated | 1766 |
| Leadership | Churches Conservation Trust |
| Architectural description | |
| Architect(s) | Thomas Gilbert |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| Completed | 1766 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Portland Stone with slate roof[1] |
St George's Church is a Church of England church on the Isle of Portland, built between 1754 and 1766[2] to replace St. Andrew's which had fallen into disuse and was no longer suitable as a place of worship.[3] The church was closed in 1914 for many reasons, and fell into further disrepair ever since that time. In the 1960s however, the church fell under the protection of a newly formed group, the 'Friends of St George's Church', who were able to restore the church. Now no longer needed for regular worship, the church is now a redundant church in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust.[4] It was declared redundant on 16 April 1970, and was vested in the Trust on 27 October 1971.[5]
Services are held twice annually, on St George's Day and Christmas Day.
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The history of St. George's Church began in August 1753. A committee of Portlanders was formed to decide whether to put further finances into the dilapidated St. Andrew's Church or to erect a new church at a more accessible position. St. Andrew's suffered from an unstable site and was prone to landslips (notably those on the east side of Portland in 1665 and 1734). Within two months a decision was made, with a survey of the old church finding that repairs would be at least half the cost of a new building.
St George's Church is regarded as one of, if not the, most impressive 18th century church in Dorset.[1] It is a large church built of Portland stone and has a tower, a nave, transepts, an apse, and a kind of abortive dome over the crossing.[1] The design is reminiscent of Christopher Wren (particularly the tower, with regards to the clock towers of St Paul's Cathedral).[1] The windows are arranged in two tiers, all with simple, broad raised frames that lack moulding. Architect John Vanbrugh called the result a "a masculine show".[1] It is a Grade II listed building.[6]