Portsea Island "northern end" of Kingston. Old Portsmouth lies on the south west corner of Portsea Island and forms the eastern side of the narrow entrance to Portsmouth Harbour at the ports mouth. Old Portsmouth contains most of the traditional High Street and heritage of the original old town of Portsmouth, including Portsmouth Point (also known as "Spice Island") and the Camber Dock. Portsea is a parish and narrower, informal area of the city of Portsmouth, occupying much of its south-west. Engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel was born in Britain Street in 1806; writer Charles Dickens was born nearby at Landport on 7
Portsmouth (instrumental) Portsmouth (instrumental) "Portsmouth" is a traditional English folk dance tune, similar to an Irish or Scottish hornpipe melody. It is sometimes referred to as the "Portsmouth Hornpipe". "Portsmouth" appeared in the 11th edition of John Playford's "The Dancing Master" in 1701. It is also one of the three arrangements on which English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams based his "Sea Songs", originally arranged for military band in 1923 as the second movement of his "English Folk Song Suite", and subsequently re-arranged for full orchestra in 1942 by the composer. In the 1950s it was used as the signature tune for BBC