Portland Stone

Housed in Avice’s Cottage, the museum’s stone collection tell the story of the Portland Stone industry; from quarrying and processing, to its use in prestigious buildings and memorials around the world.

Craftsmen and artisans have worked with Portland Stone since Roman times, an experience that has contributed distinctly to the island’s culture and the character of its people.

From the great buildings of Manchester and Liverpool, to Chelsea barracks and Buckingham Palace, Portland Stone has been used for some of the finest buildings in the world, including the skyscraper of the UN Headquarters building in New York. The quantities of stone exported over the last millennium is incalculable: Sir Christopher Wren alone transported around a million cubic feet for the building of St. Paul’s Cathedral in London.

Thanks to its stunning properties, Portland’s white-grey limestone is still in great demand today and active quarries on the island continue to provide building materials for projects around the world.

The museum houses a range of objects and interpretation that tell the story of Portland Stone – from the buildings it created, to the lives and working conditions of the men that excavated it. 

You can view some images of our Portland Stone collection here: