Public Houses in Bridport
Bridport is renowned for its rope making heritage. However, Bridport was also known for the large number of public houses that have existed over the years and centuries. The Bridport Market from the 15th century generated an initial interest in beer houses. However, the Beer Act of 1830 led to a doubling of the number of licensed houses in Bridport, with many being a room in an ordinary house, giving South Street its reputation for every other house being a public house. Taking the suburbs of Allington, Bradpole and West Bay into account, there have been more than 80 different licensed public houses over the years in Bridport, of which only about 20 remain today.
Below is a list of Beer and Public Houses which are known to have existed and those which are currently open. Dates followed by an asterisk * indicate a pub was known to be open during that period.
| Name | Address | Opened | Closed | Remarks |
| Antelope | South Street, Bridport | 1852* | Closed | |
| Avenue | South Street, Bridport | ? | 1903 | Closed under Magistrates orders |
| Baker's Arms | Rope Walks, Bridport | ? | Nov 1960 | |
| Black Horse Inn | East Street, Bridport | 1865* | Closed | |
| Blue Ball | Dottery, Bridport | ? | 1947 | Burnt down |
| Boot Inn | 124 North Allington, Bridport | 1700's | 2007 | |
| Boot & Shoe Inn | 246 St Andrews Road, Bradpole | ? | Closed | |
| Bridport Arms | West Bay | 1822 | Open | Previously The Ship or Sloop |
| Buck & Doe | South Street, Bridport | 1636 | Closed | Bucky Doo origins? Existence questionable |
| Buckle Hotel | 83 West Allington, Bridport | 1935* | Closed | |
| Bull Hotel | 34 East Street, Bridport | 1500's | Open | |
| Castle | South Street, Bridport | 1852* | Closed | |
| Cross Keys | 13 South Street, Bridport | 1852* | Closed | Slaughterhouse at rear |
| Crown | East Street, Bridport | ? | 1794 | Rebuilt as Chapel in the Garden |
| Crown Inn | 59 West Bay Road, Bridport | 1852* | Open | West Bay Road was Harbour Road |
| Dolphin Inn | 60 East Street, Bridport | 1852* | Closed | |
| Fisherman's Arms | 144 South Street, Bridport | 1935* | 1990's | |
| Five Bells | 85 South Street, Bridport | 1852* | Closed | |
| Five Courts Inn | South Street, Bridport | 1840's | 1940 | Closed during WW2 |
| George Hotel | 4 South Street, Bridport | 1770's | Open | |
| George Inn | 9 East Street, Bridport | ? | 1700's | Rebuilt as Dr Roberts Pharmacy Shop |
| George Inn | 18 George Street, West Bay | 1800's | Open | Destroyed by fire in 1834, rebuilt 1839 |
| Globe Inn | 27 East Street, Bridport | 1852* | 1940 | Closed during WW2 |
| Golden Lion | East Road, Bridport | 1791* | Closed | Known to be a coaching inn |
| Green Dragon | 28 East Street, Bridport | ? | 1781 | Rebuilt in 1850's, now Barclays Bank |
| Greyhound Hotel | 2 East Street, Bridport | 1300's | Open | Renamed to Greyhound during 1600's |
| Grosvenor Hotel | 58 East Street, Bridport | 1935* | Closed | |
| Hardy's | 35 West Street, Bridport | ? | 2005 | Renamed West 1 |
| Hope & Anchor | 13 St Michaels Lane, Bridport | 1852* | Open | |
| King Charles Tavern | 114 St Andrews Road, Bradpole | ? | Open | Previously Railway Terminus |
| King of Belgium | 52 East Street, Bridport | 1915 | 1940 | Previously King of Prussia |
| King of Prussia | 52 East Street, Bridport | 1700's | 1915 | Named after Frederick the Great |
| Kings Arms | 46 North Allington, Bridport | 1852* | Open | |
| Kings Head Inn | 304 St Andrews Road, Bradpole | ? | Open | |
| Lily Hotel | 62 West Street, Bridport | 1935* | 1990's | |
| Lord Nelson | 52 East Street, Bridport | 1940 | Open | Previously King of Belgium |
| Market House | 17 West Street, Bridport | 2010 | Open | Previously Royal Oak |
| Masons Arms Inn | 10 North Street, Bridport | 1852* | Closed | Known as The Mouse with in & out doors |
| Neptune Inn | West Bay | 1739 | 1884 | Renamed West Bay Hotel |
| Noah's Ark | 1 West Allington, Bridport | ? | 1796 | Damaged by fire, rebuilt as White Lion |
| Oddfellows Arms | 172 North Allington, Bridport | ? | Open | |
| Old Inn | 17 West Allington, Bridport | 1880* | Closed | |
| Packhorse Inn (Hotel) | 35 East Street, Bridport | 1852* | Closed | |
| Plymouth Inn | 59 West Allington, Bridport | 1852* | 1990's | |
| Railway Inn | 9 St Andrews Road, Bradpole | ? | Closed | |
| Railway Tavern | 54 East Street, Bridport | ? | Closed | Next to Lord Nelson |
| Railway Terminus | 114 St Andrews Road, Bradpole | 1935* | ? | Renamed King Charles |
| Robin Hood Inn | Folly Mill Lane, Bridport | ? | Jun 1961 | Run for 50 years by Mrs Daisy Battrick |
| Ropemakers | 36 West Street, Bridport | ? | Open | Previously Sun Inn |
| Royal Oak | 17 West Street, Bridport | 1852* | 2007 | Renamed Market House |
| Sailor's Home | 135 South Street, Bridport | 1830's | Closed | |
| Seven Stars Hotel | 11 Barrack Street, Bridport | 1935* | Closed | |
| Ship Inn | 37 South Street, Bridport | ? | Closed | Owned by the Beer family during 1910 |
| Ship Inn (Sloop) | West Bay | 1600's | 1822 | Renamed Bridport Arms |
| Shipwright's Arms | South Street, Bridport | ? | 1903 | Closed under Magistrates orders |
| Shoeing Smith Arms | South Street, Bridport | 1852* | Closed | |
| Star Hotel | 14 West Street, Bridport | 1852* | Closed | |
| Sun Inn (Hotel) | 36 West Street, Bridport | 1852* | Closed | Renamed Ropemakers |
| Tanners | 1 West Allington, Bridport | ? | Open | Previously White Lion / Noah's Ark |
| Three Boars' Heads | 17 West Street, Bridport | ? | ? | Renamed Royal Oak |
| Three Mariners | 120 East Street, Bridport | 1852* | Closed | |
| Tiger Inn | 14-16 Barrack Street, Bridport | 1881* | Open | |
| Toll House Hotel (Motel) | East Road, Bridport | 1945 | 2000 | Opened during WW2 |
| Volunteer Inn | 53 South Street, Bridport | ? | Closed | |
| Wessex Hotel & Cafe | 3 East Street, Bridport | 1935* | Closed | |
| West 1 | 35 West Street, Bridport | 2006 | 2008 | Previously Hardy's, now a coffee shop |
| West Bay Hotel | Station Road, West Bay | 1884 | Open | Previously Neptune Inn |
| White Bull | 13 East Road, Bridport | 1880* | Closed | |
| White Lion Inn (Hotel) | 1 West Allington, Bridport | 1796 | ? | Previously Noah's Ark, damaged by fire |
| Woodman Inn | 61 South Street, Bridport | ? | Open |
History records have been sourced from various locations including:
Local History Centre, The Coach House, Gundry Lane, Bridport, Dorset.
& Bridport News
Note that some dates are approximate / unconfirmed.
