242 OLD PORTLAND. 



cove, " the gem of the Island," Church Ope (i.e., the Opening 

 below the Church) and along the East Weares ; the remains 

 of most of them can still be seen. The stone carefully select- 

 ed and approved by Sir Christopher Wren for S. Paul's 

 Cathedral was marked with an incised wine-glass, which 

 was naturally known locally as " Wren's wine-glass." The 

 marks remained on a few stones not required for 8. Paul's, 

 and at a later date they were cut out and inserted in the 

 walls of various Masonic lodges in England, Wren having 

 been a very prominent Mason. 



Upham's picture is supposed to show quarrying on the 

 West Cliff to the south of the land known as " Priory " (a 

 name obviously suggestive of hasty theories anent Win- 

 chester's early connection with Portland) ; * although the 

 outstanding rock reminds one of " the Giant's Leg " on the 

 East Cliff near the Verne. On the Ordnance map this great 

 rock is called " Nicodeinus Knob : " but Portlanders locate 

 " Nicodemus " further west on the weare below, not far 

 from the remains of a stone circle destroyed in a cliff fall. 



VII. The old method of drawing the stone down the hill. 



The portion of Portland shown in the picture is known 

 as Meissner's Knapp f showing " Mallams " (or, more 



* There 'would be as much reason, probably more, to connect 

 "Priory" in some way with the land in the Grove anciently known as 

 " Black Fryers " (near the site of S. Peter's Church), or even with other 

 land in the Grove nearer the Verne and anciently known as " Hospital." 

 Not that any documentary evidence has come to light of there ever 

 having been a Dominican Priory (a house of Black Friars) or a Lazar- 

 hospital (presided over by a Prior) at Portland. But the many eccles- 

 iastical problems of Old Portland are very far from a solution. 

 There was a piece of land on the East Cliff also known as "Priory." 



f Dr. Meissner was the first doctor to live at Portland. Before his 

 time the islanders, when they could not be cured by the medicinal herbs 

 which grow in such profusion here and which were possibly planted of 

 set purpose, sent to Weymouth for a qualified medical man. 



