Church Ope Cove

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Coordinates: 50°32′16″N 2°25′38″W / 50.5377°N 2.4273°W / 50.5377; -2.4273
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The cove, seen from the church ruins.

Church Ope Cove is a small secluded beach on the sheltered eastern side of the Isle of Portland in Dorset, southern England.[1] It is found close to the village of Wakeham. The beach has many unusual features for the Isle of Portland. The beach used to be sandy, but quarry debris now covers the sand, and has been worn into rounded pebbles. The pebbles cover a small stream which runs to the sea, which is one of the few active streams remaining on the Isle of Portland.

Further north along the coastal path that leads past Church Ope Cove, below the clifftops, is Durdle Pier. A bit further beyond the pier is the secluded beach Little Beach, below Grove Point.

History

Church Ope Cove

In 789 AD, the first recorded Viking attack within British Isles, including Ireland, occurred on Portland's coast. Although the Vikings' landing place remains uncertain, it is likely that Church Ope Cove was the location. As one of the few landing spots on the east, the small hamlet of Wakeham would have been clearly seen spread above the beach. The reeve of Dorchester (a local high-ranking official) went to greet them after they landed, possibly accustomed to welcoming Scandinavian merchants, and was killed. After this Viking attacks increased over the following years, until they assembled an army equipped for conquest circa 865 AD.[2] Later Viking raids may have been at Chesil Cove.[3]

Linking with Portland's long-standing military history the potential landing place of Church Ope Cove was seen as a weakness. As such defensive works were created from earth and stone by both Saxons and Normans. This included the Norman 12th-century Rufus Castle, built on the cliff-top overlooking the beach. The cove saw substantial combat during the 12th-century, as part of the dispute between Matilda, and King Stephen, for the British throne. The castle was captured for Matilda during the battle by Robert, Duke of Gloucester in 1142.[4] Church Ope Cove also had strong links of religion, beginning with the Saxons who built a small church above the cove. The Normans later built St Andrews Church over the original foundations of the Saxon church, situated between the cove and castle. It was the island's first parish church. In 1340, and again in 1404, French raiders landed at the cove and set fire to the church, which would be rebuilt with each attack.[5]

King George III took frequent trips to Weymouth and Portland, particularly for sea-bathing. In 1797, on one of these trips, the king was joined by politician and writer John Penn, whose mother Juliana Fermor was a lady-in-waiting of Queen Charlotte. Penn's grandfather was also the founder of the Pennsylvania state in America. During the visit to Portland the pair visited Church Ope Cove - the beauty of which charmed Penn. Looking for a location to build a mansion, the same year Penn's Gothic revival mansion Pennsylvania Castle commenced construction above the cove.[6]

The surrounding eastern coastline of East Weares and Penn's Weare had been quarried for centuries, situated over a 200-300 metre strip between the cove and King's Pier. They were the earliest to be quarried on the island, and were the location of Sir Christopher Wren's first workings.[7] By the beginning of the 18th century there were three piers situated around Church Ope Cove all of which are no longer in existence. Along with King's Pier and Durdle Pier, further north along the east coast, the piers had become well-established and favoured amongst Portland's piers. Other piers were located around the island's rugged coast. With the establishment of the stone industry, quarry owners were given the right to erect piers with cranes for shipping stone from anywhere along the coastline.

The four east-most beach huts on the beach at Church Ope Cove.

Portland had a large history of smuggling, and Church Ope Cove was one of the famous smuggling beaches.[8] As one of the few landing spots on the eastern side of the island, the cove was a natural target for such activity as landing goods onshore, or sinking contraband alcohol via the use of submersible rafts, for collection under the cover of darkness. Over the late 18th and early 19th centuries locals on the island were arrested for smuggling offenses more than any other part of the county. Alongside the cove, Chesil Beach and Castletown were the prime locations for smuggling activity.[9] During January 1826 a local customs crew under the command of Captain Boxer, discovered a large number of contraband sunk off the cove. When the crew began interfering with the goods, they were attacked by smugglers with stones and other weapons. With a number of serious injuries occurring in the event, one local smuggler Isaac Rod was captured and taken to Dorchester, where he was sentenced to death for wounding a customs officer. The sentence was never carried-out, as public sympathy successfully reduced the charge to two-years of forceful labour.[10] The first steamer vessel to become wrecked on the Dorset coast was the Channel Islands Post Office Packet Meteor, which occurred on 23 February 1830 at Church Ope Cove. The padder went aground in hazy, but not severe weather conditions, and rescuers got all aboard off safely.[11]

In times before the island had a piped water supply, and before the village of Easton had a well created in 1775, locals had to travel to neighbouring settlements for water. In long dry periods, or during demanding times, Church Ope Cove's various springs were a source of water for the locals.[12] The cove was once included in plans for a railway, which dated 1867, with the establishment of the Easton and Church Hope Railway. The company's ambition was to create a line from Easton village to the cove, using an incline following down the cliffside. In connection with this it was decided that a pier would be built at the cove for the loading of goods onto ships. The plan never came to fruition as it proved to be objectionable in regards to local rights of the area's common land. The occurrence of landslips was also a disadvantage set against the plans.[13]

During July 1912, a party of people embarked onto the beach from a paddle steamer.[14] This unusual event was for a fete held within the grounds of Pennsylvania Castle, as part of the fundraising for the All Saints Church, built between 1914-17 at Easton.[15] Following World War I the island's fishing industry had seen a big decline, and the rowing boats once covering the beach slowly disappeared. However at the same time quarrying was in a state of recovery. This led to a conflict when quarry companies wished to work for stone on fishing grounds. This mainly affected the south-east region of the island, and considerable outcry followed. With this quarrying development some common land was destroyed, including a popular, woodded picnic location to the south of Rufus Castle. In similar methods to the quarries at West Cliff, the new south-east quarries would relieve themselves of stone waste by tipping it over the clifftops between Southwell and Church Ope Cove. A lengthy legal battle ensued, and in 1922 a High Court judge opposed the quarrying firms, and enforced the long-standing access rights to locals. The court did not demand the tipped overburden be removed from the coastline, and having been naturally transported across to the cove, altered the beach of Church Ope Cove.[16]

As part of the anti-invasion measures during World War II, two pillboxes were constructed to look over Church Ope Cove. Both were constructed sometime between 1940-41 and were built of concrete and brick. However today neither survive, and no traces remain. The bricks for both pillboxes were first carried down to the site 12 at a time, where a visiting Welsh regiment formed a line down the steps and passed materials hand to hand. The cement was similarly transported to the site. The first of the two to be built was positioned three-quarters way down the steps leading to the beach, where it overlooked the cove from the centre of it.[17] It was still in existence during the late 1950s. The second pillbox was located on 'Boys Rock' side, at beach level at the back of the beach near the cliff. Close to the water's edge; it was awash at the highest tides. It had a concrete base and multi-sided corrugated iron sheeting had been used vertically as shuttering for concrete walls.[18] As with many of Portland's pillboxes and heavy anti-aircraft batteries, these structures would probably have involved construction from local quarrymen. In addition to these pillboxes, a minefield was placed at the back of the cove. The minefield formed part of the Isle of Portland defences and the Dorset Coast defences and was laid out in 1940-41. A Private in the Welch Regiment, in a state of depression, committed suicide on 23 October 1940 by entering the known mined area. His grave is at the Royal Naval Cemetery situated above Portland Harbour. The minefield was cleared by 1946.[19]

Beach

The path leading down to the cove, next to Rufus Castle.

The beach is one of the few beaches on Portland, and due to having cliffs on three sides, is often sheltered from prevailing wind.[20]

For over a century, it was a favourite sheltered beach for swimming and launching fishing boats, and today continues to be popular for fishing, snorkelling and swimming. The beach provides diving access to the numerous wrecks in the surrounding waters too, which has made it a popular area for diving too.[21]

During the first half of the 20th century, a small cafe existed on the beach. The beach is also home to many beach huts which are much sought after and often sell for anything between £20,000 and £30,000. The public toilets at the beach were once threatened to be closed via the local council, however this did not come into fruition. Instead the toilets are run by a third party.[21][22] Further south, and overlooking the beach from the right is the caravan site Cove Holiday Park.[23]

For decades, an old rusting hand winch has been found on the beach.

Reservoir

Above Church Ope Cove, on the right going down the concrete steps is an ancient reservoir behind an area of thick brambles. A small opening leads into this reservoir and is often only known to some of Portland's locals. The reservoir has been rumoured to be a Roman reservoir however it is of unknown age, possibly Victorian.[21]

Access

To access the beach there are two paths. The main path follows the road past Portland Museum and leads under the arch bridge of Rufus Castle, then down concrete steps to the cove. The view point above the steps, looking down on the cove, is part of the coastal path. The other path runs through a small area of woodland around the outside of Pennsylvania Castle, and passes through the ruins of St Andrew's Church (close to John Penn's Bath), before linking up over midway down the concrete steps to the cove.

Geology

See also: Geology of Dorset

The Jurassic Coast stretches over a distance of 155 kilometres (96 mi), from Orcombe Point near Exmouth, in the west, to Old Harry Rocks on the Isle of Purbeck, in the east .[24] The coastal exposures along the coastline provide a continuous sequence of Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous rock formations spanning approximately 185 million years of the Earth's history. The localities along the Jurassic Coast includes a large range of important fossil zones.

See also

References

  1. ^ Church Ope Cove, Dorset Beaches.
  2. ^ "History : British History Timeline". BBC. 1970-01-01. Retrieved 2014-06-10.
  3. ^ Morris, Stuart (1985). Portland: An Illustrated History. Dovecote Press. pp. 12, 13. ISBN 978-0946159345.
  4. ^ http://www.pastscape.org/hob.aspx?hob_id=451726
  5. ^ http://www.pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=451729&sort=2&rational=m&recordsperpage=10&maplat=50.53840000&maplong=-2.42860000&mapisa=250&mapist=ll&mapilo=-2.4286&mapila=50.5384&mapiloe=w&mapilan=n&mapios=SY696711&mapigrn=71113&mapigre=369631&mapipc=
  6. ^ Morris, Stuart (1985). Portland: An Illustrated History. Dovecote Press. p. 46. ISBN 978-0946159345.
  7. ^ "Detailed Result: EAST AND PENNS WEARES QUARRIES". Pastscape. Retrieved 2014-06-10.
  8. ^ "Portlandbill.co.uk". Portlandbill.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-02-24.
  9. ^ Morris, Stuart (1985). Portland: An Illustrated History. Dovecote Press. p. 60. ISBN 978-0946159345.
  10. ^ Morris, Stuart (1985). Portland: An Illustrated History. Dovecote Press. p. 60. ISBN 978-0946159345.
  11. ^ Attwooll, Maureen (1998). Shipwrecks (Discover Dorset series). Dovecote Press. p. 38. ISBN 978-1874336594.
  12. ^ Morris, Stuart (1985). Portland: An Illustrated History. Dovecote Press. p. 88. ISBN 978-0946159345.
  13. ^ Morris, Stuart (1985). Portland: An Illustrated History. Dovecote Press. p. 86. ISBN 978-0946159345.
  14. ^ http://www.geoffkirby.co.uk/PortlandArchivePictures/html/shipping.html
  15. ^ Morris, Stuart (1985). Portland: An Illustrated History. Dovecote Press. p. 120. ISBN 978-0946159345.
  16. ^ Morris, Stuart (1985). Portland: An Illustrated History. Dovecote Press. pp. 122, 123. ISBN 978-0946159345.
  17. ^ "Detailed Result: MONUMENT NO. 1420402". Pastscape. Retrieved 2014-06-10.
  18. ^ "Detailed Result: MONUMENT NO. 1420404". Pastscape. Retrieved 2014-06-10.
  19. ^ "Detailed Result: MONUMENT NO. 1420419". Pastscape. 1940-10-23. Retrieved 2014-06-10.
  20. ^ "Church Ope Cove". Dorset Beaches. Retrieved 2013-02-24.
  21. ^ a b c "Pennsylvania Castle and Church Ope, Portland". Geoffkirby.co.uk. 2003-04-03. Retrieved 2013-02-24.
  22. ^ "Public toilets in Weymouth and Portland". dorsetforyou.com. Retrieved 2013-02-24.
  23. ^ Beechwood Associates. "Dorset Holiday Parks | Holiday Park Dorset | Cove Holiday Park Dorset". Coveholidaypark.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-02-24.
  24. ^ "Dorset and East Devon Coast". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. 2001. Retrieved 2007-01-14. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

50°32′16″N 2°25′38″W / 50.5377°N 2.4273°W / 50.5377; -2.4273

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