Listed Building record MDO6587 - Mulberry Harbour off Castletown Pier, Portland Harbour
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Summary
The northernmost of two Phoenix units of a World War II floating harbour which were produced to assist in the Normandy Invasion of 1944. Two 'Phoenix' units of a World War II floating harbour which were produced to assist in the D-Day landings and Normandy invasion of 1944. Constructed of reinforced concrete, eight of these units were located in Portland Harbour in 1946 to provide protection for the construction of a new pier, of which two now remain, permanently moored, and lying due north-south, about 115 metres north of Castletown Pier.
Map
Type and Period (1)
Full Description
'Two 'Phoenix' units of a World War II floating harbour which were produced to assist in the D-Day landings and Normandy invasion of 1944. Constructed of reinforced concrete, eight of these units were located in Portland Harbour in 1946 to provide protection for the construction of a new pier; two of these now remain, permanently moored, and lying due north-south, about 115 metres north of Castletown Pier. Each unit is circa 60 metres long by 18 metres wide, and 15 metres high. Most of these floating harbours, or "Mulberry Harbours" as they were code-named, were towed across the English Channel to serve the D-Day landings on 6th June 1944 on the Normandy beaches; these two sections are appropriately sited in Portland harbour as a reminder of this remarkable enterprise. <1>
Not charted by UKHO. <2>
The northernmost of two Phoenix units of a World War II floating harbour which were produced to assist in the Normandy Invasion of 1944. Constructed from reinforced concrete, eight of these units were located in Portland Harbour in 1946 to provide protection for the construction of a new pier; two of these now remain, permanently moored, and lying due north- south, about 115 metres north of Castletown Pier. Each unit is circa 60 metres long by 18 metres wide, and 15 metres high. Most of the floating harbour units, or Mulberries as they were code-named, were towed across the English Channel to serve the D-day landings on 6th June 1944 on the Normandy beaches; these two sections are sited in Portland harbour as a reminder of this remarkable enterprise.
The Second World War Phoenix caisson unit described above is visible on aerial photographs of 2008 and 2009 to the north of Castletown, Portland. <3-4> This site was digitally plotted during the South West Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey (Dorset).
Sources/Archives (5)
- <1> SWX2185 Scheduling record: DOE (HRR). 17 May 1993. List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest: Borough of Weymouth and Portland amendment 1993. Vol 961.
- <2> SDO14739 Digital archive: National Record of the Historic Environment. 1369741.
- <3> SDO12674 Aerial Photograph: Channel Coastal Observatory. 20-JUL-2008. CCO Aerial Photographic Coverage 2008.
- <4> SDO12705 Aerial Photograph: XX-XXX-2009. Google Earth.
- <5> SDO14738 Index: Historic England. Historic England Archive. BF108055.
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (2)
Related Events/Activities (1)
Location
| Grid reference | Centred SY 68738 74718 (27m by 68m) (3 map features) |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | SY67SE |
| Unitary Authority | Dorset |
Protected Status/Designation
Other Statuses/References
- Legacy UID: Dorset Sites and Monuments Record: 4 001 135 A
- Legacy UID: National Monuments Record: SY 67 SE 120
- Legacy UID: National Record of the Historic Environment: 1369741
- National Buildings Record: 108055
Record last edited
Jul 26 2023 10:22AM