Grove Sports Stadium

Grove Sports Stadium

Grove Sports Stadium is a large sports stadium/field on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, England. It is situated within The Grove village, and is owned by the prison service; the nearby Young Offenders Institution HM Prison Portland. It is found north-west of St. Peter's Church, and was created within an abandoned and disused quarry.[1]

History

Grove Sports Stadium

HM Prison Portland had been an adult convict establishment since its opening in 1848, to provide labour for the construction of the breakwaters of Portland Harbour and of the Verne Citadel, two of the biggest government projects at the time. In 1921 the government announced that the establishment was to be converted into a Borstal. This followed Borstals at Rochester in 1902, and Feltham in 1911, with Portland receiving the troublesome cases from these establishments. By the time the borstal had become well-established, the borstal's governor H. Scott formulated an idea to transform an old convict quarry into a sports stadium at the back of St. Peter's Church. The quarry chosen was part of the Admiralty quarries which supplied stone to the breakwaters and citadel.[2]

From circa 1931, the project took five years to complete, and much of the labour was provided by hundreds of Borstal boys from the Portland establishment. The quarry was successfully transformed into a stadium, with the Wembley-sized pitch situated below the surrounding ground level. As such it was decided to create grass terraced sides, which was designed to give the impression of an amphitheatre. The stadium was able to hold 3000 spectators, and upon its completion was described as "one of the most remarkable stadia in the world."[2]

The first sports day event took place in the new stadium on 1 August 1936, with the public being granted permission to spectate but were asked not to give cigarettes, sweets, or anything except applause to the lads. During this Portland Carnival Sports event, 3000 locals congregated into the stadium, and observed many activities from gymnastic displays, crazy football and comic bullfights.[3]

The prison, now a Young Offenders Institution, continues to own the stadium, who have allowed local schools to use the pitch in the past.[1] In recent years Portland United F.C. have continued to use and maintain the stadium. For a few years in a row, including 2012, the stadium was the location of the Big Grove Summer Festival.[4]

In 2009, the prison was the setting for Ian Wright's Football Behind Bars television series, and the stadium featured in this. The Sky1 reality TV series featured Wright's work to transform the lives of 24 serious young offenders, by organizing them in a football academy.[5]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "North of Grove Road, Portland". Geoffkirby.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-07-20.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Morris, Stuart (1985). Portland: An Illustrated History. Dovecote Press. p. 125. ISBN 978-0946159345.
  3. ↑ Legg, D. R. G. (2000). Portland Prison Illustrated. Sprint Signs and Graphics, Weymouth. p. 44.
  4. ↑ "Portland’s Big Grove Summer Festival donates £800 at annual launch (From Dorset Echo)". Dorsetecho.co.uk. 2012-04-09. Retrieved 2014-07-20.
  5. ↑ "Ian Wright for 'Football Behind Bars' - TV News". Digital Spy. 2009-08-11. Retrieved 2014-07-20.

Coordinates: 50°33′13″N 2°25′36″W / 50.5536°N 2.4268°W