Bridport

Bridport is a small and charming market town in West Dorset with a population of around 15,000. Situated near the confluence of the River Brit and its tributary the Asker, it is 1.5 miles from the sea (the English Channel) and the small fishing harbour of West Bay (well-known from the recent TV series ‘Broadchurch’ on ITV).  The town is surrounded on all other sides by the most picturesque, unspoilt English countryside dotted with villages, farms, and thatched cottages.

Bridport lies on the famous Jurassic Coast which was granted UNESCO status for its outstanding geology in both its cliffs and beaches, which reveal 185 million years of Earth’s history. As a result, this area it is a hot bed for fossil hunting with hundreds of specimens having been unearthed at the nearby beaches of Charmouth and Lyme Regis.  The Jurassic Coast offers something for everyone: water sports, fishing, walking, fossil-hunting, sun-bathing, or simply tea and cake in one of its many cafes/pubs/restaurants.

Bridport is full of antique and vintage shops and has a vibrant Saturday antique market with countless stalls lining the streets and local musicians performing in the main square.  It is also recognised for its high-quality local produce with excellent seafood restaurants and a number of local butchers and farm shops, not to mention the traditional kiosks selling fish & chips by the sea.  Bridport is rich in history and is famous for producing ropes.  The layout of its streets and long gardens are testament to this rope-making heritage. Today, Bridport net makers are still at the forefront of design, production and innovation, and the Bridport name is linked with nets from Wembley to Wimbledon.

The town’s arts scene is well established with an arts centre, theatre, cinema and newly refurbished museum.  There are a number of music festivals (pop, rock and classical) nearby in the summer and there are regular classical/folk/jazz concerts throughout most of the year.  This part of Dorset has featured in the novels of Thomas Hardy, Jane Austen, John Fowles, and Tracey Chevalier, and has inspired many other famous authors, including Beatrix Potter and Enid Blyton.  Bridport now has an annual literary festival every November, which invites well-known contemporary authors to give talks.

The larger cities of Exeter, Bournemouth, and Southampton are between 30 and 90 minutes away by car, and of course, for real culture vultures, London is only a 2.5-hour train journey away.  The nearest train stations are located in either Axminster, Crewkerne or Dorchester which are about a 25-minute drive away.  Exeter, Southampton and Bristol are the nearest airports.

Click here for more information about West Dorset.