About Bridport in Dorset

Bridport is a town in Dorset, England, 1.5 miles (2.4 km) inland from the English Channel at the confluence of the rivers Brit and Asker. It is in the West Dorset district. In the 2011 census, Bridport's population was 13,568. Bridport has a long history as a rope-making centre and a market town. Ropes for British naval ships were manufactured in Bridport since the early 16th century and the town's industry flourished until the early 19th century. The town was also an important shipbuilding centre, with several wharves and docks built on the riverside. By the mid-19th century, however, Bridport's industries had declined and it became a holiday resort for the upper class. It was first recorded in 853 as Brydian and later in 1086 as Brideport. The name probably derives from another Old English word, bryd (meaning "landing place"), or possibly from Celtic words meaning "high" or "strong". In 1086 the Domesday Book recorded that Bridport had 120 houses with a population of 1,300.