Western Ledges

Grade II Anglican parish church of 1834, extended and reoriented 1887. Revd George Chamberline, Rector of Wyke Regis, offered to build a new church for Weymouth at his own expense. The White Hart public house was demolished and in 1834 construction of the new church was started to a design by Philip Wyatt and completed after his death by his nephew Mathew Wyatt. The large crypt that resulted from the sloping site was used for burials until the 1862 Burial Act. The building was consecrated on 6 August 1836 by the Bishop of Winchester. By 1885 the then vicar, Francis Sowter, realising the church was becoming too small suggested a new church be built or the existing one extended. The result in the following year was that the church was to be extended and reoriented to the designs of G R Crickmay. The revised church was opened on 12 April 1887.

Grade II Listed market hall. It was built in 1855 by architect Thomas Talbot Bury for the twice-weekly fish market. After only about 13 years it fell into disuse because of coal being unloaded on the quayside and contaminating the fish. It had a number of other uses but finally fell into disrepair. Weyfish restored the building for its original purpose around 1988.

Grade II Listed mid to late 19th century warehouse formerly Hanneys Fish Warehouse. Deheer, Cosens, Burdens, Templeman and Hanney are all names tied to the building’s past that was mainly used for storing grain and imported fertilisers. Deheer's closed in 1965 and was converted into a play centre and maritime exhibition around 1997 until February 2017. Mildren Construction with RBstudio Architects renovated and converted the building into a restaurant and apartments during 2020.

Grade II Listed former Sailor's Bethel opened in June 1866. A plaque on the wall declares the Christian Seaman's Institute was built (for about £700) on the site of an 18th century baths, but Historic England states in one place that it 're-uses a building erected around 1800 for Harvey's Library and the card assembly'. This contradicts the Historic England listing that quotes an 1866 advertisement that refers to the aforementioned baths. The Royal Dorset Yacht Club moved in in 1975. The ground floor has been used by Rob Perry Marine from about August 2009 and from around July 2015 by Adriatico Restaurant Pizzeria and Bar to about January 2018, then from around February 2019 by Delicious Trading Ltd., I assume who are now trading as Vinolo Wine bar, cheese bar and gin bar.

Grade II Listed mid 19th century warehouse. The Stable pizza and cider restaurant occupied two floors just above the Harbour Master’s office from around 2012 until January 2020 followed shortly afterwards in May 2020 by The Loft restaurant and bar. The building appeared in the 2017 Syncopy film Dunkirk.

Grade II Listed former hotel of about 1850 that underwent considerable modification, especially to the ground floor, in about 1900. The building currently carries the name of 'Edward Court' in the fanlight over the main front door having previously been the Edward Hotel. A list of John Groves & Sons pubs has, 'Marine Hotel, later [by 1911] Edward Hotel'. Writing in about 1881, in a letter, Lillie Langtry said 'We got in at two and went to the Marine Hotel which turned out to be a pot house of the lowest description in which people shared beds between six and the proprietor was quite drunk and would not show us our rooms...' The Post Office directories of 1859 and 1875 list no bank or hotel on the Esplanade (this section formerly listed as Bellvue) but list 'private hotel, Bank house'. In other 1851, 1852 and 1855 directories the same occupant George Voss is listed as boarding-house keeper at 'Bank Buildings'. I suspect the name is misleading and it never was a bank, particularly as typically a bank would have its name cast into the stone/brickwork. The Marine Hotel probably changed its name with the circa 1900 refurbishment. A 1938 hotel advertisement for a cook requires a reply to a George Kenneth. During WW2 the hotel was requisitioned by the Navy probably for crews of Motor Gun Boats. A local resident talking about the 1950s tells us that 'the hotel was owned by a Mr Hanky, a former London landlord, and that it was a renowned late-night watering hole for the town’s councillors as well as for some rather shady characters'. I can't find when it was converted to flats but the resident association was incorporated in November 1983. From other directories, proprietors are, 1889 Harriet Bowles Marine Hotel, 1895 E N Clapp Marine Hotel, 1911-1915 Albert Whaley Edward Hotel.

Grade II Listed house inserted at the end of an earlier row and dated 1880 but probable remodelling of earlier property. Apparently now two flats since at least the 1990s.

Grade II Listed 1883 former bank. This building seems confused, its main frontage is on Bond Street but now with a disconnected alley doorway on the Esplanade proclaiming it to be 47A . The listing, last amended in 1997, refers to public toilets on the ground floor but they closed in October 2016 at which time it appears to have been sold. The former Bank by architect Henry John Paull is due to be converted from flats and toilets to single residential use. Will it then revert to the Bond Street address? It was built for Stuckey's Banking Co. Ltd. who merged with Parr's Bank in 1909 who merged with the Westminster Bank in 1918 to form the London County Westminster & Parr's Bank Ltd.; shortened to Westminster Bank Ltd in 1923. In 1968 Westminster Bank merged with National Provincial Bank to become the current NatWest. and shortly after the branch here was closed.

Grade II* Listed late 16th and early 17th century inn. The Black Dog claims to be the oldest pub in Weymouth and one of the few remaining 16th century buildings. It was previously known as the Dove until a landlord (in the 18th century?) purchased the first Newfoundland dog seen in the area and changed the name of the pub in honour of the dog that had brought so much interest and trade. In 1645 (during the siege of Melcombe) the landlord John Chiles battered William Courtney to death in his bed for £288 in gold and £12 in silver. The body, thrown in the sea, was recognised and Chiles and his wife were arrested. In 1758 John (Smoaker) Mills whipped Richard Hawkins to death in front of the fireplace. Reportedly Daniel Defoe was inspired to write Robinson Crusoe after meeting shipwrecked mariner Alexander Selkirk in the pub. King George III reputedly visited in 1804 being a short distance from the King's apartments at Gloucester Lodge. Landlords listed in directories include 1852-1855 Hubert Willis, 1859 Mrs E Wallis, 1875 John J H Longman, 1889 Mrs Emma Longman, 1895 H W Townsend, 1911-1915 Fred Glanvill and 1931 Mrs Eva V Dominy.

Lloyds Bank website gives the Weymouth address as 92 St Mary Street here as described in the Grade II Listing. The bank also has a much more elaborate frontage at 15 St Thomas Street. Consulting directories in 1915 Lloyds is listed at both addresses. Prior to this, in 1889 and 1911 Wilts & Dorset Banking Co. Ltd. is listed at both addresses and in 1911 Lloyds appears at 76 St Thomas Street. Lloyds took over Wilts & Dorset in 1914, presumably relocating to here soon afterwards. In 1855 and 1875 we have an umbrella maker listed at 92 but as this building, according to the listing, was built in 1865, presumably for the Wilts & Dorset, street numbering must have changed in the period 1875-1889.

Former warehouses with two Grade II Listings as No.2 and No.4. Granary Quay. Now apartments, the fanlight over the main door appears to address almost the whole building 57 Granary Wharf. This is reflected in the OS map with No.4 Lower St Edmund Street in the rear of the eastern half. The slightly older western half is late 18th or early 19th century and the eastern half early 19th century. Built to the east of a former town bridge (replaced and moved 1769), the warehouses were converted in the 1980s receiving a Civic Society Award in 1988.

Weymouth Harbour, photographed from the Town Bridge.

The River Way flowing through Weymouth, where it will flow into the sea.

Town Bridge is a lifting bridge which crosses the River Wey at Weymouth Harbour. This bridge dates from 1930, replacing a previous bridge. There has been a bridge on this site, linking Weymouth and Melcombe Regis, since 1597. More information about the bridge can be found on the Weymouth Harbour website: Link

Trinity Road on the quayside at Weymouth.

St. Alban Street is a narrow street in Weymouth's old town. The sign to the left of the street indicates that it is pedestrianised, except for access between specified times.

The River Wey flows through Radipole Lake as it approaches the centre of Weymouth.

Weymouth beach on this glorious Sunday afternoon