§oiue fociil gtone IHiuiis, 



By THOS. B. GROVES, F.C.S., &c. 



(The Numbers in Brackets refer to the Plate of Marks.) 



=*j^ 



dTfcHP] occasional finding of Roman remains at Portland 

 gives reason to suppose it was at some time 

 occupied by that people. But there is not, so 

 far as I am aware, any evidence of their 

 having utilised the vast beds of valuable stone 

 lying at their feet within a few yards of the 

 surface. 



In the report with reference to the selection 

 of stone for building the new Houses of 

 Parliament, presented ]\Iarch, 1839, it is stated that the old Church 

 of St. Andrew's, near Bow and Arrow Castle, the Castle itself, and 

 Wyke Regis Church, all 15th century buildings, if not in the case 

 of Bow and Arrow Castle more ancient, are built of Portland stone. 

 Coker, however, states the old Church of St. Andrew, dated 1475, 

 was built of Caen stone, imported from Normandy, implying that 

 the Portland quarries had not been opened at that time ; but in 

 this he is probably in error. 



It seems that prior to the 17th century Portland stone was not 

 raised for export, but only for local use. 'Die BampU'ting House 

 at Whilchall was the fust public building in which it was used, 



