The Trinity House Obelisk (also known as Trinity House Landmark) is an obelisk located at Portland Bill, on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, England. It has been a Grade II Listed Monument since September 1978.
The 7 metre (23 feet) tall white stone obelisk was built in 1844 to warn ships of the rocks off the coast of Portland Bill during the daytime. It stands at the southern tip of the Isle of Portland, and also acts as a warning of the low shelf of rock extending 30 metres (100 feet) south into the sea. In 1877 it was decided to construct two similar stone obelisks to be erected on a hillside overlooking the village of Castletown, on the northern side of the island, at Portland Harbour. Constructed by local convicts in 1877, the obelisks remained in place until they were destroyed during the 1960s.
The obelisk is made of high-quality Portland stone ashlar and is dated 1844 on its north face, with the panel inscribed "TH 1844". It is a three-sided tapering obelisk on a high plinth and with a pyramidal crown. The obelisk is close to the Portland Bill Lighthouse and remains a popular attraction: it is a viewpoint area, with two coin-operated telescopes on either side of the landmark.
English singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw's 1984 hit single "The Riddle" featured a photograph of the obelisk on the vinyl's back sleeve. This photograph showed Kershaw reading a map. The artwork of the album of the same name featured Kershaw on Chesil Beach, and the photograph on the back sleeve of the album shows Portland in the background

Date: 29/03/2015

Location: Portland Bill

Photographer: Andy Kench