 - Bridport Dorset
Rope and nets of all kinds have been made at Bridport for nearly 1,000 years. In the past the bulk of the rope output was for the
rigging of ships. But ropes for gallows were also made there, and the hangman’s noose was nicknamed the “Bridport
dagger”.
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- The town was the biggest net-making centre in Europe. The long gardens at the rear of the houses were used as rope-walks, places where the flax strands were Laid Out and twisted into shape. and
it is still Europe’s principal centre for the production of fishing
nets, lines, and cordage. These fascinating local trades are
featured in a permanent exhibition at Bridport Museum and Art
Gallery. Also here are exhibits showing the archaeology, geology,
and natural history of the area. Excavations at Maiden Castle
in 1937 revealed the bones of men killed whilst defending the fort
against the Romans. After the battle of Worcester in 1651 Charles II
came here to hide, rather incautiously, in ‘the best inn in town’;
this now contains a shop.
WEST BAY, Dorset
A port since the 13th century, West Bay is still used for fishing
but additionally caters for small cargo boats and pleasure craft. At
one time it served as a harbour for Bridport, which lies 13 miles
north, but nowadays it supplements its port business with resort
facilities such as piers and a promenade.
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- Local towns and villages to visit..
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- Abbotsbury
- Bridport
- Beaminster
- Dorchester
- Lyme Regis
- Portland
- Sherborne
- Weymouth
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Attractions
- Sailing
and water-skiing in Lyme Bay from Lyme Regis, West Bay
and Portland.
Local Accommodation..
Bridport Caravan
and Camping sites
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