Bridport is a thriving market town in western Dorset. It lies a short distance inland of a spectacular section of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, and is surrounded by some equally attractive hilly countryside. Although the town originated in Saxon times, it expanded a great deal in the Middle Ages, partly due to the success of the local rope industry. Many of its products were used in the local fishing and shipbuilding industries, which were concentrated around Bridport Harbour. At one time, Bridport Harbour was the second largest producer of ships in the country. In an early example of marketing, when the railway reached here in the 1880s, its name was changed to West Bay in the hope that this would sound more attractive to tourists. Comprising a magnificent range of images old and new, this book explores the historical development of this fascinating town and its attractive surrounding area.