Monument record MDO19966 - William Edwards' Ropeworks, 66 St Michael's Lane, Bridport

A former ropeworks on the western side of St Michael’s Lane extending back as far as the River Brit. The plots are probably early 19th century in date and are shown on the 1845 Bridport Tithe Map. From 1874 it became the ropeworks of William Edwards, later becoming part of the St Michael's Works net factory with a large building constructed over the whole of the site by the early 20th century.

A former ropeworks on the western side of St Michael’s Lane extending back as far as the River Brit. The 1845 Bridport Tithe map shows a pair of attached houses set back from the street within two long narrow plots (1). The Tithe apportionment lists the southern plot as 'House & Garden' owned by James Gray and occupied by Robert Hockey, but the northern plot is not included (1). The plots are probably early 19th century in origin, but it is unclear whether they are being used as a ropewalk at this date.

William Edwards moved his twine making business from North Allington to No. 66 St Michael's Lane in 1874 (2). The Edwards ropeworks are marked on the 1888 1:500 Ordnance Survey map, with the houses as marked on the Tithe map close to the street frontage and behind is a long covered ropewalk to the north and a small number of other scattered buildings in the eastern half of the site (3). Fruit trees are shown to the rear in the southern plot. By the early 20th century it had been replaced by the net factory building of William Edwards and Sons, later Bridport Industries (4).

<1> James, R, 1845, Bridport, Dorset, 1845

Bridport, Dorset, 1845, plot No. 17 (Map). SDO10499.

<2> Sims, R, 2006, The Rope, Net and Twine Industry of Bridport. 2) Factory Mills (Monograph). SDO10541.

<3> Ordnance Survey, Various, Ordnance Survey Map, Dorset Sheets, 1888 OS map, Dorset sheet 38.10.6 (Map). SWX1299.

<4> Williams, M, 2006, Bridport and West Bay. The buildings of the flax and hemp industry (Monograph). SDO10498.

Record last edited

Aug 30 2024 11:17AM