Bridport
The town of Bridport has a strong history and can be dated right back to the 9th century, when the ‘Burgh of Brydian’ was created by the Anglo Saxon invaders. Its name has cropped up time and time again in historical sources and in 1253 the town was made a royal borough by Henry III.
Unsurprisingly, with such a rich history, Bridport has more than one thousand listed buildings, many resulting from the 18th century when several people in the town experienced a period of wealth. Perhaps the most notable of these is the Georgian Grade 1 listed Town Hall, which was built in 1786 and is somewhat higher than other buildings in the area. At this time, the Hall’s surrounding area was occupied by butchers’ stalls and was commonly referred to as “The Shambles” and in honouring this tradition, today, the ground floor of the building is the home of a Butchers shop.
If visiting Bridport, it’s also worth taking a trip to Palmers Brewery, which offers guided tours at 11am during weekdays. It is the only thatched brewery in England and dates back to 1794. The exterior of the building has remained the same for over 200 years and its water wheel still moves, whilst inside tradition methods of brewing are still used as is the original screening machinery.
Flanked on either side by the River Brit and the Asker, Bridport is a flourishing market town. Near to the Jurassic Coast, the area is often seen as the gateway town to Dorset and all it has to offer.
