High and Dry small Boats at Lyme Regis Harbour
The most westerly town in Dorset is also one of its more popular. Situated at the mouth of the little river Lym. Lyme is first mentioned in 774 in connection with a manor and salt rights granted by the West Saxon King Cynolf to Sherborne Abbey. In the Doomsday Book Lyme was divided into three manors. It became Lyme Regis in 1284 when it was granted a royal charter by Edward I. Lyme’s existence depended upon the Cobb, a small artificial harbour dating from the time of Edward I. The Cobb is first mentioned in a written account during the reign of Edward III (1327-1377), when it was described as a work of timber and stone damaged by storms. The stones were actually huge boulders called cow-stones, brought to the site by being floated between barrels and then stacked loose between oak piles. The Cobb was initially detached from the shore at high tide to let shingle through, which in turn formed protective banks or sea defenses. Lyme is totally exposed to south-westerly gales, and the Cobb is both harbour and breakwater. In 1377 it was destroyed in a storm, leading to the destruction of 80 houses and 50 boats. The presence of the Cobb allowed Lyme Regis to become a shipbuilding centre and important port, trading wool for wine. In 1756 the Cobb was finally joined to land, and beginning in 1820 it was completely rebuilt in Portland stone. Lyme's most prosperous period was from 1500 to 1700, when its merchants and sea captains traded with the Mediterranean, West Indies and Americas. Lyme was a major English port and as recently at 1780, it was larger than the port of Liverpool. Typical of the breed was Sir George Somers (1554 - 1610), discoverer of the Bermudas and described as 'a lamb on land, . . . a lion at sea'. Sir George Somers was called out of retirement to mount the Sea Venture expedition to relieve the Virginia settlements. Instead they were wrecked on Bermuda and in the process founded its British colony. He died there "of a surfeit in eating of a pig" and the c
Size: 5477px × 3638px
Location: Lyme Regis Harbour Dorset England UK
Photo credit: © David Gowans / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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