Long gone pubs of Portland we all really miss

Here, we bring you a fresh batch of pubs, some of which have closed in more recent times, others having shut their doors for good many years ago.

See how many of these wonderful watering holes you remember.

The Sawmill Pub, Easton

The Sawmill was on the site of the Esso garage north of Easton.

The pub's name came from the nearby stonemasonry company Stewards, which had a sawmill.

Apparently Wilfie Pullman was the landlord and lived in a cottage near the pub.

Here, you can see a special slab of stone which was produced for the King Alfred memorial in Winchester. The slab is being taken into the sawmill.

The Pulpit Inn, Southwell

The Pulpit Public House is situated in the most scenic of locations - just before you get to Portland Bill. It had an extension built onto its left hand side.

Dan and Jackie Fox retired in 2014 after 29 years at this pub.

During the couple’s period of ownership, the inn has had a variety of characters entering its doors.

Mrs Fox said former Chancellor of the Exchequer Norman Lamont visited the inn the night before Black Wednesday in 1992.

She said: “The night before that Wednesday he was here in the bar. The next day the bombshell dropped and we never even twigged.

“There have been a lot of interesting people from all walks of life. You just never know who’s going to walk in.”

In September 2020 plans were unveiled to bulldoze the pub and build a cafe and homes.

The Jolly Sailor, Castletown

This pub was at 24 Castletown and was run by Spud and Jackie.

The original pub with the same name was established in 1775 with the existing building dating to the mid to late 19th century. It closed in 2000 and has remained derelict ever since. In 2012 there were plans to convert the pub into a care facility, but this never came to fruition. The pub still retains a number of signs, including a distinguished painted Devenish Jolly Sailor sign.

Royal Victoria Lodge Hotel, Victoria Square

According to The Encyclopaedia Of Portland History, the building of the Royal Victoria Lodge Hotel was completed c.1865 at the behest of Captain Charles Augustus Manning.

When plans were put forward for a railway line from Weymouth to Portland, Manning saw the need for accommodation.

During the Second World War the hotel became a makeshift hospital. In 1952 the pub's links to the railway were broken as the line closed to passengers in March of that year.

In 2004 the free house was renamed Masons and Mariners. It remained a public house until the 2010s and has been a Grade II listed building since May 1993.

The pub reopened in 2011 but closed again in 2013.