An artist's creative side was brought to the fore by the virus lockdown.

Audrey Russell, 86, used the time at home to paint beautiful paintings of Portland buildings and make a book out of it.

Portland's Rich History contains a combination of pen and watercolour paintings.

They were created by looking at photographs, taken by Audrey's husband Roy. Alongside each painting is a information about the history of these interesting buildings.

Inspiring Audrey, who used to teach at the Royal Manor school, only took up art when she was in her 80s. She attributes her success to her art tutor Lyn Newton.

Former archaeologist Audrey has lived in Southwell, Portland, for 45 years. Not long after she moved to the island she bought The Buildings of Old Portland by Eric Ricketts.

"I realised just how much history there is to be discovered," she said.

She said: "It surprised me how many of the residents don't know the history of their own homes.

"They don't even realise they have Tudor wood in their homes.

"I expect a lot of people don't even realise that Portland has a manor house, which I painted!"

Audrey said she was fascinated to find out more about Portland Manor in Weston.

The first wife of Charles I, Henrietta Maria, is reputed to have stayed there and commissioned a frieze for the wall, the remains of which are still in the manor.

Audrey writes: "Many grand houses of this date had fashionable large and elaborate plaster stone or wood chimney pieces to denote wealth and status."

Also fascinating Audrey were Portland's many historical pubs. She painted the George Inn in Reforne, which in 1767 was the home of William Butts, parish clerk. The Court Leet even held their annual meetings in these premises.

Readers of Audrey's book will also be fascinated to hear about the landlord and landlady of the Royal Portland Arms cooking for the Royal Family when George III visited Portland in 1794. The wife of the pub's landlord Christopher Gibbs cooked a delicious meal including Royal pudding, Portland mutton and plum dessert served on a huge dish!

Other fascinating buildings painted and featured include the old Dame School in Southwell, a Tudor cottage in Wakeham which has marks carved into a beam above the fireplace to ward off evil spirits and the Avalanche church in Southwell, which was built to commemorate the loss of lives after two ships, the Avalanche and the Forest, collided in September 1879 during a south westerly storm.

Many Portland residents were delighted to see their residences painted by Audrey.

She said: "Roy and I knocked on doors and put letters through the letter boxes of anyone who wasn't home and asked for permission to take a picture of people's houses.

"Everyone was really good about it and we printed off the photos. Rather than me sitting outside of people's front doors for hours I painted from the photos.

"Without the help of so many people on the island, I would have found this all very difficult. People welcomed me to their doors and even invited me to return after this awful year ends.

"I would like the people of Portland to see what I discovered and how much I enjoyed meeting the owners of these gems of history.

"I've already had people asking me when I'm going to do a second one! I'd really like to do some paintings of Pennsylvania Castle."

*Portland's Rich History - Through the Eyes of an Artist by Audrey Russell is on sale at the Island Gallery in Easton Square for £9.95.