Students from Coastland College drew inspiration from Portland Port’s historic Engine Shed to bring their artistic ideas to life.
They spent a day sketching and creating models based on the shapes and lines of the 19th century building before returning to the college’s Weymouth campus to develop their concepts into artworks.
It formed part of the induction for the 12-strong group, starting the year’s study on the University of Arts London (UAL) Foundation Diploma in Art and Design at the college.
The Grade-II listed Engine Shed was built in the mid 19th Century to serve the Admiralty Incline Railway, which transported stone from quarries to Portland Harbour for the construction of breakwaters.
It was also the venue for an exhibition of The Portland Dress during the b-side BIG Weekend, created through embroidery to explore themes of heritage, identity, migration and community on Portland.
More 300 people contributed to the project in workshops guided by local textile artists, including residents, refugees and migrants.
It was created as a ‘sister’ piece to The Red Dress project, conceived by artist Kirstie Macleod, for individuals, particularly women, and communities around the world to tell their stories through embroidery.
Portland Port also threw open its gate for its annual heritage tours for Dorset Architectural Heritage Week.
Guide Wes Parks led three tours for two hours a time about the history of the port and harbour, its construction and key figures and places.
The route included the Prince Consort Walk on the Victorian breakwater and the first stone laid for the breakwaters by Prince Albert as well as the Inner Breakwater Fort to view old harbour defences.
Wes talked about some of the famous shipwrecks of the 1,000 vessels estimated to be sunk along the Dorset coastline and the history of the port during the Second World War – including its importance to D Day and Leading Seaman Jack Mantle who was awarded the Victoria Cross for his bravery while defending HMS Foylebank in Portland Harbour.
Bill Reeves, Portland Port chief executive, said: “It was a pleasure to once again welcome local people into the port.
“Our heritage tours are always very popular and we were pleased to make our Engine Shed available for B Side and Weymouth College.“As a major local employer and contributor to local economy, we believe it is important to support the area where so many of our people and their families live as well as those of businesses based at the port.”
Portland Port is a silver sponsor of the Standing with Giants Falklands tribute at the Nothe Fort in Weymouth from November 5 to 30.
The art installation features life-sized silhouettes of the 255 military personnel and three civilians who lost their lives during the Falklands War in 1982.
* Picture shows visitors to Portland Port during one of its heritage tours.