Fortuneswell
| Fortuneswell | |
|---|---|
 Fortuneswell from Priory Corner |
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 Fortuneswell
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| Fortuneswell shown within Dorset | |
| OS grid reference | SY689732 |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | PORTLAND |
| Postcode district | DT5 |
| Dialling code | 01305 |
| Police | Dorset |
| Fire | Dorset and Wiltshire |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| EU Parliament | South West England |
Fortuneswell is a village in Underhill on the Isle of Portland, in Dorset, England. It lies on steeply sloping land on the northern edge of the island, known as Underhill, where Chesil Beach, the tombolo which connects the island to the mainland, joins the island. Adjoining Fortuneswell and sharing the limited space on the northern slopes of the island are Chiswell to the west and Castletown to the north. Fortuneswell occupies the steepest land far above sea level, whereas Chiswell and Castletown occupy flat land close to sea level, next to Chesil Beach and Portland Harbour respectively. Fortuneswell has a main shopping street, and along with Easton, is the main hub of the Isle of Portland's activities.
As with the rest of Portland's settlements, Fortuneswell, including Maiden Well and Mallams, has been designated as a conservation area, to protect its special architectural and historic interest. Underhill, incorporating Fortuneswell and other settlements, was designated in 1976, with boundary extensions in 1997 and 2000.
Fortuneswell was established around a natural watercourse and various springs. It is likely that the Romans developed the village pond and wells. The main well was situated within the centre of the village. The village name was first recorded as "Fortunes Well" in 1608, and evidence has suggested this originated from the belief in the occult star-telling power of its water, where one's luck could be seen. Over the centuries the village was largely made up of open space, with high-quality houses spread out across the community.
From the 1840s onwards Portland saw a large increase within its population, due to the construction of Portland Harbour's Breakwaters. The housing demands placed upon the island saw the originality of Fortuneswell altered. A large number of terraces were erected across the village area, and were crammed into any available open space. The expansion continued into the 20th century, when the site of Tillycoombe Farm became a large housing estate too. A new church was built between 1838 and 1840 at Fortuneswell, and was named St John's. In 1865, Underhill became its own parish, with St John's becoming the parish church. The influx of residents and visitors allowed Fortuneswell to flourish commercially, with many businesses becoming established there. The 1896 Kelly's Directory lists 73 businesses within the village.
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Wikipedia