During Alfred the Great's reign of 871 to 899, he, the King of Wessex protected his Kingdom
against the Danes by setting up a system of defended places or 'Burhs'. The 'Burghal Hidage'
set out the requirement for a network of fortifications. The size of each burh was ascertained
from the rate (hidage) at which it was assessed, the stated length of the defended boundary and the
number of armed men required. The burh was thus an assembly point for the local levy and a
refuge.
'Bridian' or the place at 'Bridi' was one such secure place. However, it appears
that this defence was originally further east of the current location of Bridport, probably being
centred on the River Bride. It may have then been moved to a more consolidated defence
establishment to the west, at 'Brydian' on the River Woth or Wooth, later to be renamed the River
Brit. Further evidence of this is recorded in the Doomsday Book of 1086, whereby the village
of Burton Bradstock was recorded as 'Bridetona', meaning the 'Village of the River Bride'.
By the time of King Athelstan/Ethelstan's reign of 924 to 939, the first true King of England
(controlling all of England except Cumbria), Bridport was licensed to mint coins, which also implies
mercantile and trading interests, i.e. Brydian had become a 'Market' town. By the time of the
Doomsday Book in 1086, the word 'Port' had been added to the town's name (implying a trading town,
as opposed to having a harbour or port). The Domesday Book also recorded the scale of damage to
Brideport between 1066 and 1086. 'Before 1066 there were 120 houses, now there are 100 houses
there, twenty have been so neglected that those who live in them are not able to pay tax'.
The bitter conflict between English townsmen and their new Norman masters had left several Dorset
towns in ruins.
The Doomsday Book appears to suggest that ownership of the West Bay area around the
11th Century was split between Symondsbury holding the west bank of the River Brit for the
Abbey of Cerne and the Manor of Burton Bradstock holding the east bank for the Crown. However,
medieval records indicate disputes over both beaches and harbour involving a third party upstream on the
River Brit; the Borough of Bridport. 'Right of Wreck' was a contentious issue, the Abbot of Cerne
and the Prior of Frampton (for Burton Bradstock) apparently often taking legal action against the
'Borough' for removing wrecks from the foreshore.
Documentation indicates that in 1150, the keeper of Bridport Castle was taken prisoner by the
future king of England, Henry II. At that time, the keeper's loyalty would have been to
Stephen of England. The original castle construction was probably of timber, but
whether its position was at the Old Castle (present location of Bridport Museum), or further
south at the location of the Chantry is unclear.
At that time, the defended area of Bridport was probably a rectangular piece
of land about 300 metres wide, straddling the current position of South Street.
Its southern boundary would have been at the current position of the Chantry and
northern boundary at the Old Castle (Bridport Museum). This makes the probable
location of the original Bridport Castle at the Old Castle, as this would have
been the highest point of defended land. Castles were usually built on high
land to make defence easier. Claims to a Bridport Castle are also
indicated on the Corporation Shield, which includes a castle standing on wavy blue lines in
its design. The apparent portcullis in the entrance to the castle is actually spinning
cogs, a reference to the town’s main industry.
In 1211 King John commissioned, according to 'Bridport weight', for large supplies
of hempen thread to produce ships' ropes and cables, due to the imminent war with France.
Two years later King John ordered that there be 'made at Bridport by night and day, as many
ropes for ships both large and small as they could'.
Ropes from Bridport had many other uses and the term 'To be stabbed by a Bridport
dagger' merely meant to be hanged at the gallows!
A small priory was set up in 1265 for Carmelite Friars in Bridport. They were robed in
white and went out into the community to preach. However in 1365, Sir John Chideock was
refused a licence to establish a larger 3 acre friary, on the grounds of protecting the Church
of Bridport. The friars appeared to abandon Bridport from this date.
Records in 1272 indicate the River Brit was navigable
as far as Bridport at high tide by small flat bottomed ships, suggesting that a small harbour existed
a mile inland on the (at the time) southern boundary of the borough. In 1280, Bridport claimed all
rights to sea wrecks on the beaches and then in 1288, claimed rights to 'Take tolls from all Ships'.
Bridport was land-locked, the only access being along the River Brit.
Boroughs achieved their status by charter through the Court of Chancery,
purchasing from the Crown certain liberties and rights to manage their own trade, market, port
tolls and justice. Bridport was granted its borough charter in 1253 during Henry III's
reign, though its status was recognised before this time.
East Street and West Street were added at the northern end of the town's South
Street during the 13th Century and probably developed from the old Dorchester to Exeter
Roman route. These streets were deliberately made wide for the drying
and twisting process of rope making, the ropes being hung across the streets. The area
around Bridport was excellent for growing hemp and flax, for rope and sail production.
The Chantry in South Street is thought to be the oldest surviving building in Bridport.
Built in the 13th or 14th Century, evidence of this medieval tower house suggests
that it probably originated as a beacon for ships. If a vessel approaching Bridport Harbour kept
the tower in view, it would avoid the two underwater reefs of the Ram and Pollock, which lie on either
side of the harbour approach (note that the River Brit estuary was further east at that time, close to
the foot of East Cliff). In 1369 the building was converted into a chantry (a priest's house).
By this time there were friars in Bridport preaching the bible.
From 1395, Bridport was represented in Parliament by 2 MP's.
In the early 16th Century, during the reign of Henry VIII, it was ordered that all cordage
for the English Navy should, for a limited time, be made at Bridport or within 5 miles of it and nowhere
else, the act of which was confirmed by almost every parliament for a further 60 years.
In 1554, Elizabeth I confirmed the right for Bridport to hold a twice weekly market and three annual
fairs of Old Lady Day, Holy Thursday, and Old Michaelmas. The markets still survive, on Wednesdays
and Saturdays. However, only one fair is still active, that of the town's annual carnival in August.
In 1619, James I incorporated Bridport by granting a mayor and corporation. Then in 1623,
Bridport was granted its 'Coat of Arms'.
In around 1625, the plague reached Bridport.
In 1651, Charles II was almost captured by troops at the 'Old George Inn' in East
Street after his defeat from Oliver Cromwell at the Battle of Worcester.
In 1685, the Duke of Monmouth's first conflict occurred at the 'Bull Inn' in
East Street during his failed attempt to overthrow his uncle, James II from the throne.
Colonel Venner was shot and wounded by the King's militia from the now bricked up window
of The Bull.
At the junction where East Street meets South Street had been the ruins of St Andrew's Chapel, built in
1260. Part of the chapel had been converted into a dwelling house, part being the sessions house
over which was a free school, a further part was a cell for criminals and part was in ruins. It had a
low tower, with the remains of the Chancel serving as a clock house.
In 1786, at a cost of £3,000, St Andrew's Chapel was demolished and
replaced with Bridport's Grade I listed Georgian Town Hall and Market House. The cupola
and clock were a later addition in 1806. Running through the structure of the Town Hall are four ship's
masts. The upper story accommodated a court for borough sessions, a separate room for the grand jury and
a council chamber. These facilities had previously been across the road in the Guildhall, at 1 West
Street. The ground floor (Market House) was originally an open area, housing numerous Bridport
butchers, now only one. This area replaced The Shambles, or Butcher Row, which had been situated outside the
Guildhall, straddling West and East Streets and presenting a health hazard, consisting of many butchers' market
stalls along the side of the road and obstructing traffic. There still remained a lack of space, so the corn
and produce market had to be located outside in a single story octagonal building, while a new cattle market location
was found on the corner of West Street and Victoria Grove.
The passage below Bridport Town Hall and a small square next to it in South Street is called 'Bucky Doo'.
Doctor Giles L. Roberts, a Methodist and apothecist in Bridport, produced a widely used ointment
in the early 1800's called the 'Poor Man's Friend', the recipe now being held at the Bridport
Museum. He converted the Old George Inn into a pharmacy (now the Cancer Research charity shop).
On 12th November 1857, the Bridport Railway Company opened its branch
line from Maiden Newton, through Powerstock to Bridport. An operating licence for the line
was awarded to the Great Western Railway, who were to later take overall control of the line and
extend it down to West Bay. Ultimately, on 5th May 1975, the line was to close
after having become Dorset's last branch railway.
In October 1863, an earthquake hit the West Dorset coast at around 4:00am.
In 1868, the number of MP's representing Bridport was reduced to 1 and then
lost all representation in Parliament in 1885.
During the First World War (1914-1918), steel wire anti-submarine nets were
manufactured in Bridport.
In 1927, parish boundaries were changed. Bridport Municipal Borough Council was
granted control of West Bay as far as the foot of east and west cliffs. A strip of
land from the east bank of the River Brit to just east of West Bay Road (the position of
the old railway line), linking Bridport to West Bay, was also passed over at the expense
of Burton Bradstock Parish. Symondsbury and Burton Bradstock had previously shared
parish control of West Bay.
Bridport Pageant 1953 - To celebrate the 7th Centenary (700 years) of Bridport's Royal
Charter (1253), Princess Margaret visited the town on 25th June.
Bridport supplied the goal nets for England's football World Cup victory in
1966 and also supplies Wimbledon's tennis court nets.
In 1987 the Bridport Bypass was opened, thus diverting the main A35 Dorchester
to Honiton road around the south side of the town instead of through the traffic bottleneck of
East Street and West Street.
Visit the Bridport Museum in South Street or the Local History Centre in Gundry Lane for more information
