The Town Hall is the centrepiece
of Bridport
The Town Hall is the centrepiece
of Bridport and is a Grade 1 Listed Georgian building dating from
 1786
on the site of the earlier St Andrew’s Church. The Architect
was William Tyler. The clock and the cupola, or dome, above it were
added to the roof twenty years later and made the Town Hall noticeably
higher than nearby buildings. The area around the Town Hall was
known as The Shambles, where a number of butchers had their stalls.
Today a butcher’s shop is still situated on the ground floor
of the building, carrying on the tradition.
The artist and teacher Francis (“Fra”) Newbery who was
Director of the Glasgow School of Art, 1885-1918, painted a number
of paintings specifically for the building, depicting aspects of
Bridport’s Rope and Net heritage. These are on permanent display.
Two Royal Naval vessels have borne the name of Bridport and memorabilia
from both ships are displayed in the Town Hall.
The Town Council has received support from the Heritage Lottery
Fund to develop its plans to restore the Town Hall and make the
building fully accessible with a new ground floor exhibition and
meeting space. The project seeks to achieve Heritage Lottery Funding
in 2009/10 for the major adaptation works.
Palmers Brewery on the southern approach to the town is the only
thatched brewery in England. It dates from 1794 when the business
was owned by Samuel Gundry. The Palmer family took the premises
over in 1896 and it is still run by the family today. The water
wheel dates from 1879. Tours of the brewery can be booked through
Palmers Wine store, which is in a newer building next door.
The Chantry in lower South Street was built in the early 1300s when
it possibly served as a lighthouse for boats sailing up the River
Brit. Later, in the 1400s, a priest took up residence, so giving
the building its name. Today the building is owned by the Vivat
Trust.
The Friends’ Meeting House is one of the older buildings in
Bridport. The former house and barn were given to the Friends by
Daniel Taylor in 1697.
The Parish Church of St Mary dates from the 1300s although most
of the building standing today dates from the 1500s.
Bridport Museum dates from the Tudor period. The museum opens between
10am and 5pm from Monday to Saturday between April and October.
The Bridport Arts Centre in South Street was formerly a Wesleyan
Methodist Chapel. The building dates from 1838.
The Bridge House Hotel at the eastern approach to the town dates
from 1768 when it was a Dissenters Academy. Across the road the
Masonic Hall, built in 1769 as the Marquis of Granby Inn is on the
site of the 13th century St John’s Hospital and Chapel.
The Literary and Scientific Institute was built in 1834. Fra Newbery
was a pupil and teacher at the School of Art here before becoming
the Director of the Glasgow School of Art 1885-1918 (see Town Hall).
In the late 20th century the building was home to the Library, but
it has been unoccupied for some years now.
The Chapel in the Garden (Unitarian) dates from 1794. The interior
is little altered from that time.
The United Church in East Street dates from 1860. The pulpit was
used at Charmouth by John Wesley’s grandfather before being
relocated to Bridport.
The Bull Hotel is one of the two coaching inns in the town. It is
on the original road from London to Exeter. In 1685 the Duke of
Monmouth’s men attacked the King’s Militia here. Colonel
Venner was shot and wounded. Later in November 1805 Lt Laponetiere
changed horses here on his journey from Falmouth to London with
news of England’s victory at the Battle of Trafalgar. The
building is now part of the New Trafalgar Way, dedicated in 2005,
and bears a plaque to commemorate its role at the time of the Battle
of Trafalgar.
The Cancer Research shop in East Street opposite the Town Hall is
the site of the Old George Inn where Charles II stopped for refreshment
in 1651, while fleeing from the Parliamentarians. The Inn was rebuilt
in 1804 as a pharmacy set up by Dr Giles Roberts who invented a
cure all known as “The Poor Man’s Friend”. His
obelisk is in St Mary’s churchyard.
Downes Street, a Georgian terrace off of East Street, leads to Bridport
Millennium Green, which was opened by the Duchess of Gloucester
in 2003. This part of the town has four large distinct houses, Rax
House, The Grove, Mountfield and Downe Hall, all built for local
business families.
The Court in West Street stands on the site of the rope and net
making works founded in 1665 by Joseph Gundry. The building has
seen continuous use for the industry since that time.
Rope and net making is Bridport’s heritage. In 1253 King John
demanded that rope be supplied for the Navy and the Charter dates
from that time, being further endorsed by King Henry VIII and Queen
Elizabeth I.
Bridport nets are used for the fishing and horticulture industries,
sport (most noticeably at Wembley and Wimbledon) and for defence.
Cargo nets for Chinook helicopters and runway restraints are currently
manufactured by the American company who now own the complex at
the Court.
West Mill is a hemp boiling mill dating from the late 19th century.
Bridport had a number of mills around the town, all utilising the
water power of the rivers Asker, Symene and Brit for various purposes,
many supporting the flax and hemp industry.
The legacy of the rope industry lives on today behind the closed
doors leading off Bridport’s streets, where the many former
rope walks which were used to twist long ropes together, have become
long gardens.
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