Archaeological evidence shows that the history of the Porches area, within the borough of Lagoa, stretches back thousands of years. In his latest book, the Algarve-based writer/journalist Len Port introduces us to historical and other developments in the area – from the earliest human settlements through to today’s luxury tourist resorts.
Referring to the Lagoa municipal region, the prominent Portuguese historian Rossel Monteiro Santos has said that the number and quality of the ancient standing stones make the area “one of the most important centres of menhirs in Europe”.
Christian Romans and Muslim Moors made various impacts on the area between the present village of Porches and the cliffs and beaches next to the iconic Nossa Senhora da Rocha headland.
Barbary pirates intent on capturing and dragging local citizens off to North Africa had a profound effect too, as did the devastating earthquake of 1755.
Port distils Porches’s long and fascinating history into a short book, written in a relaxed, easy-to-read style. Apart from its historical information, the book also includes contemporary stories about local educational and artistic initiatives, bringing us right up to date with the transformation of a largely agricultural area into one encompassing some of Portugal’s most exclusive tourist resorts.
Porches – The Extraordinary History of a Little-known Community in the Algarve, by Len Port. Kindle edition, 2020. Available from Amazon. (Christina O'Shaughnessy - Editor)
