Listed Building record MDO12205 - Bridport Museum (The Castle), South Street, Bridport
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Summary
An early 16th century two-storeyed house with a two-storeyed porch, now housing Bridport Museum. It has been heavily restored after being badly damaged by fire in 1876 and very little other than the façade remains from the original building. It may be called 'The Castle' as it may be in the vicinity of the Norman 'castle'.
Map
Type and Period (3)
Full Description
The house known as 'The Castle' now houses the Bridport Museum. It was built in the first half of the 16th century and is said, by Hutchins, to have been the house of the chantry-priest of St Leonard <1>, but this may have been the result of a confusion with 'The Chantry', which has also sometimes been known as 'The Castle' and which was the house of the chantry-priest of St Leonard. The building was severely damaged by fire in 1876 and subsequently heavily restored, consequently most of the original internal details have been destroyed or removed.
The building may have been called the Castle from having been a public house called 'The Castle' <3>. However, the there is documentary evidence that in 1390 there was a house called 'Castleheigh' on the east side of South Street' <4>. And wills of 1374 and 1406 confirm that the nearby area was known as 'Castlehay' and which may indicate the location of the Norman 'castle' of Bridport <6>.
Sources/Archives (8)
- <1> SDO9443 Monograph: Hutchins, J. 1863. The History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset. Volume 2. 3rd edition. 2. 21.
- <2> SDO97 Monograph: Royal Commission on Historical Monuments England. 1952. An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume I (West). 49.
- <3> SWX1323 Article in serial: Colfox, W. 1890. 'On the History of Bridport' Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Field Club. 11. 126.
- <4> SWX7399 Article in serial: Bartelot, R G. 1907. 'Fourteenth century life in Bridport' Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Field Club. 28. 99.
- <5> SWX1290 Monograph: Newman, J, and Pevsner, N. 1972. The Buildings of England: Dorset. 112.
- <6> SWX1202 Monograph: Penn, K J. 1980. Historic Towns in Dorset. 26.
- <7> SDO15350 Unpublished document: Milby, S. 2017. Bridport Museum, 25 South Street, Bridport, Dorset. Archaeological Monitoring and Recording Report.
- <8> SDO14739 Digital archive: National Record of the Historic Environment. 867816.
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (1)
Location
| Grid reference | Centred SY 46607 92823 (21m by 14m) |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | SY49SE |
| Civil Parish | Bridport; Dorset |
| Unitary Authority | Dorset |
Protected Status/Designation
Other Statuses/References
- Legacy UID: Dorset Sites and Monuments Record: 1 016 012
- Legacy UID: National Monuments Record: SY 49 SE 65
- Legacy UID: National Record of the Historic Environment: 867816
- Royal Commission Inventory Reference: Bridport 12
Record last edited
Dec 21 2022 11:56AM
