Bridport to Abbotsbury


Bridport is a Saxon town with its original plan still discernible. At that time, the town was centred around the Parish Church of St Mary in South Street. Immediately to the north of the church the street widens, indicating the site of a market place. With its own port, mint and market, Bridport must have been a thriving commercial centre. In the 13th century a new town was established along the line of East and West Street and its prosperity grew due to the rise of the rope and cordage industry.


The rope and net making trade required the establishment of long narrow walks along which rope and twine were pulled, twisted and tightened. The area behind the main street remained undeveloped because of these ropewalks and explains the ‘T’ shape of the town today.


The fine façade, from the 16th century, is all that remains of the original building that now houses the Bridport Museum, in South Street. In 1931 Captain Alfred Codd purchased the building, ‘The Old Castle’, and donated it to the town to be used as a museum and art gallery.


The museum tells the story of the town’s history from its origins to the present day with notable displays on artefacts from a nearby Roman hill- fort and the world famous rope and net making industries. As well as the permanent displays there is a programme of temporary exhibitions. Photographs, costume, lace, dolls, numismatics, and fine art are among the collections held. The Local History Collection contains a wide range of materials for people researching their local or family history.


Charles II passed through the town on his way to exile, following his defeat at the Battle of Worcester in 1651. He narrowly evaded capture, fled to Broadwindsor disguised as a groom and eventually escaped to France. Troops of the Duke of Monmouth’s rebel army came to Bridport in 1685, having landed at Lyme Regis. After the rebellion was put down, a number of Bridport men were hanged by order of Judge Jeffreys. It seems likely that the hangman’s noose was made with local rope - the ‘Bridport Dagger’.


Bridport is not, as the name suggests, on the sea; its port is at West Bay, originally known as Bridport Harbour. Ships were built here until the late 19th century, and it used to be visited by 500 ships a year.


West Bay is now a tourist resort, in a very small way, with some fascinating buildings around the harbour, and the usual comings and goings within the harbour that are irresistible to the visitor. The unusual harbour entrance, a long man-made cut, creates a turbulent, twisting swell in anything but the calmest conditions; it gives endless entertainment for the harbour side watcher as small craft enter. To the east, the towering cliffs drop away before West Bexington, where the shoreline merges into Chesil Bank,


running into the misty distance to Portland. To the west, the bay curves round past the sandstone pinnacle of Golden Cap, which at one hundred and ninety two metres is the highest cliff in southern England.


Travel the coast road from Bridport to Abbotsbury and on a clear day you can enjoy fabulous views along this stunning part of the ‘World Heritage’ status, ‘Jurassic’ coast.


In a beautiful setting below the hills you arrive at Abbotsbury. Little remains of the abbey (which was just south of the church) except for the fine tithe barn, the largest in the country. The village itself is enchanting and full of interest for the visitor and is home to famous ‘Abbotsbury Swannery’. There is so much in and around Abbotsbury that it is a genuine day out in itself. Many of the cottages in the village are centres for busy craftsmen and artists, with several fine displays, such as the ‘Dansel’ gallery of contemporary work in wood and Richard Wilson’s ‘Chapel Yard Pottery’ and nearby gallery.


The dominant Abbotsbury landmark is the 15th century St. Catherine’s Chapel and those energetic enough to climb the steep hill on which the chapel stands will be rewarded by fine views of the village and the West Dorset coast. Chesil Beach, a mecca for sea anglers, is within easy reach and for the rambler there are many interesting walks within the parish boundary.


To the west of the village are the Abbotsbury Sub-Tropical Gardens, 20 acres of woodland walks amongst an extensive and beautiful collection of shrubs, flowers and exotic trees which thrive on a microclimate of almost Mediterranean temperatures caused by the proximity of the Beach, which retains heat like a storage heater.


Westbay 6 The Tourist Handbook Wessex 2011


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