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Portishead (St. Peter)

PORTISHEAD (St. Peter), a parish, in the union of Bedminster, hundred of Portbury, E. division of Somerset, 8½ miles (W. N. W.) from Bristol; containing, with the hamlet of North Weston, 1079 inhabitants. This parish is bounded on the north by the Bristol Channel, and at Portishead Point is a battery for the defence of King's-road, where ships-of-war on the station usually anchor. The Britons, Romans, and Danes successively occupied the district. Here is an ancient camp, the form of which approaches an irregular rhomboid, its longer diameter being 400, and its shorter about 200, yards; it was converted to a similar purpose during the great civil war, and according to the parliamentary records of that period, the royalists posted at Portishead surrendered to Sir Thomas Fairfax, who had been sent against them. The ancient boundary called Wansdyke terminates here. The parish comprises about 2000 acres; coal is supposed to exist, and limestone, firestone, and flagstone are found. The living is a rectory, valued in the king's books at £32. 15. 7½., and in the gift of J. Adam Gordon, Esq.: the tithes have been commuted for £628. 12., and the glebe comprises 30 acres. The church is an ancient structure, with a fine tower. There are places of worship for Independents, Wesleyans, and the Society of Friends.

Transcribed from A Topographical Dictionary of England, by Samuel Lewis, seventh edition, published 1858.

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