Portsmouth Point

Coordinates: 50°47′31″N 1°06′22″W / 50.792°N 1.106°W / 50.792; -1.106

"Portsmouth Point", an etching by Thomas Rowlandson.

Portsmouth Point, or "Spice Island", is part of Old Portsmouth in Portsmouth, Hampshire, on the southern coast of England. The name Spice Island comes from the areas involvement in the trade of Caribbean spices. The area forms the eastern side of the narrow entrance to Portsmouth Harbour, facing Gosport on the western side.

Historically, the Point lay outside the boundaries of Portsmouth, with access being controlled by a moat and King James's Gate. The area was notorious for lewd behaviour and was mainly composed of pubs and houses of ill repute, and appeared as such in Thomas Rowlandson's etching named after the Point. (This etching was also the inspiration for William Walton's musical piece of the same name.) There were also a number of boat yards and on the south side military defences protecting the harbour entrance that also contained a prison.

Now the area is part of the historic city of Portsmouth containing the majority of the remaining early defences of the city and the Camber Docks.

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