Portishead is a town in the county of
Somerset in South West England. The town dates back to
Roman times and is situated on the bank of the
River Severn, its name being derived from the fact that it was originally a "port at the head of the river". Like much of the rest of British industy, the dock closed in the 80's and is currently being converted into an "exciting
marina development" (it says here).
Portishead currently has a population of approximately 18,000 but is rapidly growing due to new housing developments as is soon expected to become one of the largest towns in North Somerset.
It sports a pebble beach, an outdoor swimming pool and a lake with pedalos (and occasionally dumped cars).
The trip-hop band of the same name was formed in Portishead, as were the much less famous band Airbus.