St George's Centre

[1][2] St George's School opened in 1857, having been constructed by Hansford and Waight for the cost of £775.

The school closed in 1969, leaving the building to suffer from years of neglect and vandalism.

In 1981, the newly formed Island of Portland Heritage Trust began fundraising to purchase the building from the Crown Estate Commissioners.

The trust were successful and then proceeded to transform the building into a community and craft centre which opened in 1984.

The project created over fifty jobs for the unemployed, while the trust, in conjunction with the West Country Tourist Board, opened Portland's first tourist information centre there.