The Old Coastguards  Holiday Cottages
Self-catering holiday accommodation by the sea in Abbotsbury, West Dorset - ideally located on the coast, just 10 miles from Weymouth and on the edge of England's beautiful West Country

X Weymouth, West Dorset - a bustling West Country seaside resort

Weymouth was originally the 2 towns of Weymouth and Melcombe Regis - the former being granted its first Royal Charter in 1252.

Melcombe Regis is notorious as the port where bubonic plague (known as the 'Black Death'), entered England in 1348, brought ashore by rats on a ship which had recently arrived from the continent.

The two Dorset towns became officially known as the 'Borough of Weymouth and Melcombe Regis' in 1571, when Elizabeth I granted a Royal Charter - an attempt to end their fierce rivalry over trade, smuggling and even piracy.

In 1588 ships sailed from Weymouth to meet the Spanish Armada.

During the English Civil War (1625-1649), the still-simmering rivalry between the two parts of the town continued, with Weymouth backing the King and Melcombe supporting Parliament.

In the 2nd half of the 18th century (in response to the 1751 Act, which dramatically increased the tax levied on spirits), smuggling became even more prevalent along the Dorset Coast and Weymouth was heavily involved in this illegal trade. This was due, in large part, to the isolated nature of the Chesil Beach (which starts in Weymouth) - ideal for landing contraband, out of view of the 'Excise Men'. Abbotsbury itself was also involved in this lucrative business.

In the late 18th century, Weymouth started to become involved in the burgeoning seaside holiday business. The visit of George III to the Dorset resort in 1789 - and his subsequent visits over the next 15 years - brought the town's attractions as a holiday destination to the attention of the moneyed classes. The dramatic curve of the Georgian Esplanade provides sweeping views of Weymouth Bay and its clean sandy beach, with safe bathing for all the family. The town is still very popular as a seaside resort for family holidays and, even in the winter, remains pleasantly lively.

Until 1832, both of the original towns sent their own MPs to Parliament, some of them as famous as Sir Christopher Wren (for Weymouth) and Sir Francis Bacon (for Melcombe). Today, Melcombe Regis is firmly part of Weymouth, but is still referred to as "the Town" by older residents.

Weymouth has a lovely old harbour with waterfront pubs and many unusual old buildings, a world-class yacht marina and frequent ferry connections to the Channel Islands and France.

Interest in Weymouth has increased recently, after the town was named as the venue for sailing events in the 2012 Olympics.

... Thomas Hardy named Weymouth 'Budmouth Regis' in his Wessex novels.

Well worth a visit during your holiday at The Old Coastguards!

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X Dorchester, West Dorset - Dorset's charming County Town

Dorchester, despite its small size (population around 17,000), is the county town of Dorset.

Dorchester was founded by the Romans as 'Durnovaria', shortly after capturing the nearby Iron Age hill-fort of Maiden Castle (one of the many prehistoric sites in West Dorset) in 43 AD.

The town was the birthplace, in 1575, of Reverend John White, who was a central figure in the Puritan emigration to America. White gathered together a pioneering group of 150 colonists, who sailed from Plymouth to 'New England' in 1630 - just 10 years after the Pilgrim Fathers. They founded the town of Dorchester, Massachusetts.

The 'Bloody Assizes' were a series of trials in Dorchester, during September 1685, in the aftermath of the Battle of Sedgemoor, which ended the Monmouth Rebellion in England (when the Duke of Monmouth declared himself King, his claim based on being the son of Charles II and his mistress, Lucy Walter).

King James II sent the infamous Judge Jeffreys to round up and try Monmouth's defeated supporters. About 1,300 people were found guilty. Most were transported abroad, while some suffered the horrific punishment of being hung, drawn and quartered. Approximately 320 people were executed, despite having been promised mercy in return for pleading guilty.

In 1613 and 1725 two great fires destroyed large parts of the town, but a few mediæval buildings, including Judge Jeffreys' lodgings (now a very friendly tea-room) and the Tudor almshouse, can still be found in the town centre The remainder of the town largely dates from the Georgian era, with many buildings constructed from Portland limestone (also transported along the English Channel for the building of St Paul's Cathedral, in London.

Thomas Hardy was born and brought up in the Dorset village of Higher Bockhampton (located to the east of Dorchester) and this house, as well as his later home, Max Gate, are open to the public. Hardy used Dorchester as the basis for his fictional town of Casterbridge, which features in The Mayor of Casterbridge, as well as Far from the Madding Crowd, Jude the Obscure, and The Return of the Native. There is a statue of Hardy in the town centre.

On a hill to the south east of the town (about midway between Dorchester and Abbotsbury) stands Hardy's Monument, a memorial to the other local Hardy - Sir Thomas Masterman Hardy ("kiss me. Hardy") - who served with Horatio Nelson. The monument provides stunning views of the Dorset hills to the north, Weymouth, the Isle of Portland, Lyme Bay and Chesil Beach.

The Old Shire Hall still contains the Old Crown Court where in 1834 the six Tolpuddle Martyrs were sentenced to seven years transportation to Botany Bay, Australia.

This charming and relaxed Dorset town is a pleasant place to wander around during your holiday at The Old Coastguards - perhaps for some shopping, a visit to the Dorchester Museum, Hardy's Dorset houses or an interesting diversion in Dorchester's very own Tutankhamun Museum. As Daniel Defoe put it: "a man might as well spend time in Dorchester as in any town in England"!

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X Bridport, West Dorset - a thriving old Dorset market town

Bridport is an old, and relatively unspoilt, Dorset market town, located near the coast at the western end of Chesil Beach, on the rivers Brit and Asker.

Bridport grew up round the rope industry, which developed during the 14th century, following King John's decree that the townsfolk make "night and day as many ropes for ships both large and small and as many cables as you can." Hemp and flax were grown locally and the long, straight alleyways you can see all around the town were once 'rope walks', where twine and rope were laid in long lines extending from the backs of houses - this being, at that time, a largely cottage industry.

The quality - or notoriety - of Bridport rope can be judged by the phrase 'stabbed by a Bridport dagger', used to describe those people unfortunate enough to meet their end on the gallows.

The town is based around three main streets - South Street, West Street and East Street. South Street is particularly attractive, still lined with old buildings sweeping downhill and including the Mediæval parish church and Chantry, the Tudor museum, and the Georgian town hall.

Bridport - with its thriving Arts Centre (which hosts the internationally-renowned Bridport Prize for poetry) - is home to many artists, craftspeople and poets and has a twice-weekly street market, with many stalls selling antiques and designer crafts, in contrast to the clothes and general cheap goods which have swamped many outdoor markets.

On the southern edge of Bridport is Britain's only thatched brewery, Palmers of Bridport. Over two hundred years old, the brewery is still owned by the Palmer family and you can try Palmers beers in many of Dorset's pubs.

One and a half miles from the town centre lies West Bay, a small fishing harbour formerly known as Bridport Harbour.

... Thomas Hardy named Bridport 'Port Bredy' in his Wessex novels.

Bridport is a recommended visit during your holiday at The Old Coastguards - particularly on the Wednesday or Saturday market days.

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