In 1870-72, John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales described Portishead like this:
PORTISHEAD, or Portsheadpopularly Posseta village and a parish in Bedminster district, Somerset. The village stands on the Severn's estuary, under woodedhills, at the end of Wans dyke, and at the terminus of the Bristol and Portishead railway, opposite King's Road, 3¼ miles W S W of the mouth of the river Avon, and 9 W by N of Bristol; is supposed to have been anciently the harbour of Portbury; is now a watering-place, with a gay assemblage of villas; commands a charming view over the Severn's estuary to the coast and mountains of Wales; and has a post-office‡ under Clevedon, a railway-station, a handsome hotel, and marine baths. ...
A steamer pliesdaily, in summer, to Bristol: and magnificent plans have been entertained for forming a series of docks, on a scalesuitable for ocean steamers. The parish contains also the hamlet of North-Weston; and comprises 2,093 acres ofland, and 295 of water. Real property, £7, 771. Pop.in 1851, 1,084; in 1861, 1, 201. Houses, 250. A fortwas formerly at P. Point; was taken from the royalists, in 1645, by Fairfax; and has left some remains. ancient camp was in the parish, 1, 200 feet by 600; and alsohas left some remains. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Bath and Wells. Value, £729.* Patron, the Rev. F. Norman. The church is early English; and consists of nave, aisle, and chancel, with a fine tower. There are chapels for Independents, Quakers, and Wesleyans,, a national school, and charities £5.
Portishead through time
Portishead is now part of North Somerset district. Click here for graphs and data of how North Somerset has changed over two centuries. For statistics about Portishead itself, go to Units and Statistics.
GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of Portishead in North Somerset | Map and description, A Vision of Britain through Time.
URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/1056
Date accessed: 27th April 2024
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