The site of what is now Portsmouth College started out as marsh land on the edge of Portsmouth and was reclaimed in 1705.[citation needed] One name for the area, Salterns, reflects its past use for salt pans, evaporating sea water to make salt. The site of what is now Portsmouth College started out as marsh land on the edge of Portsmouth and was reclaimed in 1705.[citation needed] One name for the area, Salterns, reflects its past use for salt pans, evaporating sea water to make salt.In November 1888 Portsmouth Higher Grade School was formed. It was later to become a boys' grammar school before becoming a comprehensive and then becoming a college.