This coastal town is only 8 miles from the county seat, but Weymouth is by no means a run-of-the-mill suburb.Weymouth's own population is more than 50,000. people, and it is a full-fledged city with its own history and its own attractive features.What is the ancient burial of dozens of Vikings buried in a headless mass grave alone worth?One must think that the inhabitants of Weymouth (or rather, their great-grandfathers) were very patriotic towards their native land.
Weymouth is located in a sheltered harbor at the mouth of the River Wey on the English Channel.Today it is a large tourist and resort center, which is sometimes called the "gateway to the Jurassic Coast".The geology of the surrounding areas is very interesting: Weymouth's landscapes are quite old and interesting.This beauty was appreciated by the famous landscape painter Constable, and Thomas Hardy lived here for several years while working on his book.
A character in Hardy's novel, a certain Diggory Venn, said of Weymouth: "Of every ten boys you meet here, nine will be in love."
A LITTLE HISTORY
At one time, Weymouth arose as a small seaside settlement, but from the middle of the 12th century it began to grow and already in the annals of the 13th century it is mentioned as a town.To the north of Weymouth, on the headland, the large port of Malcombe Regis was opened, which in a sense accelerated the development of Weymouth.Unfortunately, it is through this port that England is believed to have entered in June 1348. The Black Death is an epidemic of plague.Parliamentary act of 1571 Weymouth and Malcombe Regis were united; then Henry VIII built fortified forts and two castles here.
Weymouth became a tourist center after the Duke of Gloucester, brother of King George III, built a grand residence here, Gloucester Lodge, where the king spent the entire winter of 1780. After him, in the period from the 1780s to the 1810s. other dignitaries also moved here, so that the colorful royal statue, trimmed with sheet iron, rightfully adorns Weymouth Quay.
HOW TO GET
By direct branch train from London Waterloo station, or from Westbury or Bristol.Shuttle buses connect Weymouth with Portland, Dorchester, Bournemouth and smaller towns on the Jurassic Coast.
ENTERTAINMENT AND SIGHTS
Weymouth Harbor has historically and previously been unofficially divided into two parts: Malcombe Regis (the main town center) and Weymouth (the southern part).Since the 18th century, bridges have been built across the harbor at its narrowest point.The current City Bridge was built in 1930 and was made a drawbridge so that ships could enter the city's Inner Harbour.
Weymouth Sand Sculpture Park "Sandworld" in 2014. won the title of Dorset's best tourist attraction.
The tradition of sand sculptures in Weymouth dates back to the 1920s, when quite famous sculptor Fred Darrington worked on the beach.His grandson and also an international sculptor Mark Anderson became the co-founder of "Sandworld".The park is located on the territory of the Lodmoor Village Park, next to the Marine Life Center.This is an all-weather attraction on a fairly large area, where you can spend 10 minutes or a full day.
The ruins of Sandsfoot Castle, the only remaining of Henry VIII's fortifications west of Weymouth, are ruins dating from 1541: most of them collapsed into the sea, and what remains is listed as a historic and architectural monument II degree in 1953. Today, a pretty garden with a lawn is spread around the castle, offering a beautiful view.
Weymouth Esplanade is formed by the old Georgian terraces of buildings, later converted into shops, hotels.These buildings were created in the period from 1770 to 1855, that is, until the Regency.They form a fairly long promenade in front of the harbor, along which various city attractions are located.For example, this is the Jubilee clock, installed in 1887. in honor of the 50th anniversary of the reign of Queen Victoria.There is also a statue of the Queen, as well as King George III and Sir Henry Edwards, Member of Parliament for the county from 1867 to 1885.You can also see two war memorials on the esplanade.
Before the 2012 Olympic Games considerable funds were poured into the improvement of the esplanade: it acquired various kiosks, a promenade, a rescue station, a tourist center, etc. others
The city is rightfully proud of its sandy beach.It is a popular bathing spot, frequented even by King George III, who was treated for ailments here: it was he who made sea bathing fashionable and named Weymouth "the first resort".The beach is very wide and the entrance to the water here is gentle, there are almost no waves.At the northern end of the beach begins the suburb of Greenhill, where there is a public garden of the same name with many bright colors and a Wishing Well.At the southern end is a pier.
Weymouth Pavilion — that is, the theater was opened in 1908. and used to bear the name "Ritz", but in 1954 was destroyed by fire.The new premises of the theater, which can still be seen today, date back to 1960. It is located on the pier that separates the city harbor from the beach and the esplanade.And right next to it is the Tower of Marine Life, the most modern landmark of the city.The tower was completed in 2012.and its height is 53 m. It can rotate around its axis, and at the top is a gondola for 69 passengers.Each session lasts around 15 minutes and on a clear day the tower offers excellent views of the English Channel and the Dorset coast.
Nearby is the amusement park of the same name, on the territory of which there is an aquarium and an adventure park with entertainment attractions, mainly for children.Weymouth Aquarium, home to around 1,000 residents, boasts an underwater ocean tunnel with transparent walls.The aquarium is home to penguins, otters, and seals, which can be "adopted" for a small fee by receiving a certificate.
Brewers Quay is a pretty city landmark near the Old Harbour.This is a Grade II listed Victorian brewery building, which has recently been converted into a shopping complex housing around 20 specialist shops and exhibition spaces.The facade of the characteristic red brick building faces Hope Square with its many bars, cafes and restaurants.Also nearby is the Tudor House Museum, which occupies a small 17th-century mansion structure, one of the most well-preserved houses of this era in the entire country.In the museum, you can see the exposition dedicated to the everyday life and history of the city in that period: furniture, clothes, kitchen utensils and household items.
To the east of the city, if you move in the direction of the village of Preston, you can see very interesting landscapes.This is the Utesnyki cliff, which in 1816-1817 the great John Constable wrote during his honeymoon (the picture is in London, in the National Gallery).To the east of the bluff is the secluded Bowlies Bay, which offers beautiful views of the city.The bay is known for interesting geological formations from the Jurassic period.And if you move deeper from it, then on the low Jordan hill you can see the ruins of an ancient Romano-Celtic temple dating back to the 4th century.
It will be interesting to visit Fort Noth, which is located on the shore behind the northern breakwater, near the entrance to the harbor.This coastal fortification was built in 1872. to protect Portland harbor, which played an important role as a naval base.The fort was used during the Second World War, when convoys from British-American ships were gathered in the harbor.In 1956 the fort was abandoned and today houses a military museum.
HOLIDAYS AND EVENTS
Tourism is the main source of Weymouth's income, so everything is done here to ensure that guests of the city are not bored.More than 200 regular events take place in the city every year.These include fireworks festivals, dragon boat races, beach volleyball, motocross and handball competitions, and an annual carnival in mid-August that attracts up to 70,000 tourists.In addition, the port of Weymouth is the only one in the world in which the World Sailing Regatta has started three times: the last time it happened in 1994.and then about 300,000 spectators watched the iconic event.
