Weymouth Harbour, Dorset facts for kids
Weymouth Harbour, also known as the Old Harbour, is a beautiful and historic harbour in the seaside town of Weymouth in Dorset, southern England. It has a lovely waterfront with buildings that are hundreds of years old, some from the 1600s! This busy harbour is a great place to see boats and learn about the town's past.
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What is Weymouth Harbour?
This harbour is where the River Wey meets the sea, flowing into the English Channel. Long ago, the first Roman port was further north at Radipole. But over time, the river carried too much dirt and sand, filling up the old port. This created Radipole Lake. Because of this, a new harbour started to grow downstream in the 1100s and 1200s.
How the Harbour Connects to the Sea
Weymouth Harbour opens into a much larger area called Portland Harbour. This bigger harbour is home to the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy. This academy was a very important place in 2012. It hosted the sailing events for both the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games.
What You Can See at the Harbour Today
In the past, large ferries used to travel from Weymouth Harbour across the English Channel to other countries. Today, the harbour is mostly used by smaller boats. You'll see many pleasure boats and private yachts docked here.
Along the north side of the harbour, there's an old railway line called the Weymouth Harbour Tramway. It used to lead to the Weymouth Quay railway station, but both are no longer in use.
Right at the harbour entrance, on the north side, is Weymouth Pier. This pier separates the harbour from the sandy Weymouth Beach and the wider Weymouth Bay. You might have seen the Weymouth Pavilion building here, and there used to be a tall observation tower called the Jurassic Skyline. On the south side of the harbour entrance, you'll find the Stone Pier.
Exploring the South Side of the Harbour
If you walk along the south side of the harbour, you'll discover Nothe Gardens. These gardens are a lovely green space with Nothe Fort on a point of land sticking out into the sea. The fort is a historic building that used to protect the harbour.
The road along the south side is called Nothe Parade. Above it, you can see Wellington Court, which was once known as the Red Barracks. This building was built in 1801.
Near the harbour, in Hope Square, you'll find Brewers Quay. This used to be a large brewery from the Victorian era. Now, it's a popular spot for tourists. Close by is the Tudor House Museum. This old house used to be right on the harbour's edge before more land was added.
The Lifting Bridge
The harbour also has a special lifting bridge. This bridge can lift up to let taller boats pass through into the inner part of the harbour, which is called Weymouth Marina. It's fun to watch it open and close!
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