Porter’s Garden

The first step on our transect was inside a hidden spot in Portsmouth's Historic Dockyard.

We were denied access at first by some of the staff but eventually made our way on a Thursday morning.

Floor in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

The immediate change of bass noticed in the different floor treatment. the greens seeping through arbitrary placed rocks steps.

The gardens are tended to by a dedicated group of volunteers known as the "Friends of Porter's Garden" ("Friends"). They usually are spotted on Wednesdays or the first weekend of the month, but we were lucky to have spotted them hard at work on a Thursday morning. (The Porter's Garden, n.d.)

Porter's Garden at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

The statue of King William IV

At the edge of the garden, there's a statue of what appears to be a Roman figure by the name of William IV.

Inscripted:

GVLIELMO

III

Optimo Regi

CICDCCXVIII

Ricardus Norton Humillime DD

The statue of King William, originally gifted to the Dockyard in gratitude for naval support, once stood at the garden's opposite end. In 1967, it underwent extensive restoration, including bronze armature replacement and regilding. The garden, recreated by the "Friends," dates back over 250 years, with modern restoration efforts since 2000.(Memorials in Portsmouth, n.d.)

All figures are images taken by author, 2024.

REFERENCES

Memorials in Portsmouth. (n.d.). Memorials and Monuments in Portsmouth - William of Orange and the Porter’s Garden. Www.memorialsinportsmouth.co.uk. Retrieved 2024, from https://www.memorialsinportsmouth.co.uk/dockyard/william.htm

The Porter's Garden. (n.d.). The Porter’s Garden. Www.portersgarden.org.uk. Retrieved 2024, from http://www.portersgarden.org.uk/about.html