When discussing the southern end of Pier Terrace, we often hear mutterings of “ugly”, “no building regs then, of course”, and “shame”. It’s certainly true that the actions of the crazy lad who set fire to numbers 9 and 10 in February 1929 changed the by then 44-year-old Pryor designed Read more…
Our shipbuilding exhibition is running until the end of October. The importance of Bridport Harbour’s shipbuilding industry has surprised visitors, who didn’t realise the scale of the operation up until 1879 when the last ship was launched. Of course, the weather and waves have little respect for exceptional craftsmanship and Read more…
For decades families have been crabbing around the harbour. Recently there have been so many folk in search of the local crustaceans that getting around some parts of the harbour has proved quite challenging! Many of our visitors aren’t familiar with the coast or the needs of the animals that Read more…
There are plenty of fun activities for children and the whole family to enjoy in West Bay, look at our suggestions and come and discover new things to do! 1) Visit West Bay Discovery Centre In rain or shine there is plenty for children to enjoy at West Bay Discovery Read more…
West Bay Discovery Centre is nearly a year old and with the holiday season upon us, we are getting busier by the week. Since opening on 1st August last year, we have welcomed nearly 17,500 visitors, which is amazing. The comments in the visitor book are brilliant and we’ve had Read more…
We wanted to share one more story from D-Day that came to light during our research. The basic principles of the medical units were to find a casualty, treat him, remove him from danger and transport him to a secure rear area. At Omaha this was impossible – there was Read more…
We were delighted to welcome the 1st Infantry Division Living History Group and dignitaries including a representative of the US Embassy, Dorset’s High Sheriff, Lord Lieutenant and Town Mayor to the West Bay Discovery Centre on Saturday 18th May. They came to visit our exhibition “Warm Beer and Cabbages” as Read more…
It is hard to imagine the impact that 200 plus fit young men with their strange accents had on the close-knit, war-weary folk of Bridport Harbour, but there are still a number of people, children during the Second World War, who remember the time the GIs were billeted in West Read more…
Sandy Hashimi our West Bay Discovery Centre Manager has been invited to produce some guest blog posts for Bridport Cottages . Some of which we have reproduced below. Photographic Memories One of the great things about working at the West Bay Discovery Centre, is the number of photographs that folk Read more…
Captain John G. W. Finke was the Commander of F Company, who were based in West Bay from November 1943 to June 1944, when they left Castletown, Portland for Omaha beach on the Normandy coast. We were sent this picture of Captain Finke by the 16th Infantry Regiment Association in Read more…