Lyme Regis, Dorset
In the Domesday Book, medieval Lyme Regis is recorded as a port and a cloth town.
In 1558, the first skirmish between Drake's ships and the Spanish Armada took place in the bay. Amongst the English fleet were five ships from the port.
During the lawless Middle Ages and particularly at times of war with France, Lyme Regis was subject to French raids pillaging and burning the town. Three cannon still stand on the Cobb pointing out into Lyme Bay to remind us of more troubled times. As at other ports along the south coast, Lyme's portsmen must have set sail many times to raid the French coast in their turn.
Lymne flourished as a port between 1500 and 1700. The portsmen entertained those who were in a position to grant them favours lavishly with wine from the Canary Islands and Malaga. The foreign wines washed down a very local delicay, the prawns taken from the Channel. Such unashamed bribery was seen as an essential expense in running the port and maintaining the prosperity fo the town.
|
The prosperity of the port on its open bay depended on that unusual feature the Cobb. The Cobb Ale was a week-long Whitsun Festival, the proceeds of which went to the upkeep of the Cobb. The Cobb Ales appear to have have become too drunken and boisterous and the Ale was banned at the end of the 16th century.
|
By the turn of the 17th century ships from Lyme were trading not only with Northern Europe but as far afield as the Mediterranean, Africa and the New World uncovered by Columbus. They shared the valuable Newfoudland cod trade with the port of Poole.
Piracy was rife on the high seas and many a bound for Lyme was lost and the town's ships captured. The pirates, based in ports such as St malo and Morlaix would pounce on any laden ships which they could find and, in times when there was little distinction between a merchantman and man o'war, the portsmen of Lyme were themselves not above privateering.
In 1685, the Duke of Monmouth landed on what is now known as Monmouth Beach just to the west of the Cobb seeking to raise an army and seize the throne from his uncle James II. Monmouth's rebellion failed and nearly a hundred Lyme men were tried for treason, twelve being hanged on Monmouth Beach.
A Cobb duty list has survived from 1879. It is painted on a high sign-board the buildings at the end of the Cobb for all to see the great variety of goods which were shiped to and from the port;
|
.....
For each Horse, Mule, Cow or Ox.
For each Sheep, Pig or other Small Animal.
For every Ton of Copper, Lead, Tin, Iron or
other Metal.
For every Chaldron of Coals, Coke and Cinders.
Winchester Measure.
For every Weight of Salt.
For every Thousand Bricks or Tiles.
For every Thousand of Common Slates.
For every Thousand of Scanted Slates.
For every Ton of Rag Slate.
For every Hundred feet of Dressed Freestone
or Paving Stone, superficial measure or
other dressed Stone.
For every Ton of Rough Free Stone, Lime Stone or
For every Trunk, Chest, Box or Bag per Barrel
Bulk and so on in proportion.
For every Ton of Butter or Cheese.
For every Ton of Oil.
For every Barrel of Tar, Pitch, Pot or other ashes.
for every Ton of Cordage or Plaister Hair.
For every empty Pipe.
For every empty Hogshead.
For every empty Barrel.
For every Gross of Bottles.
For every Score of Hides or Skins.
For every Ton of Oil Cake.
For every Truss of Sail Cloth.
For every Ton of Sand taken within the Cobb or
Harbour for Ballast.
For every Ton of Sand taken outside the Cobb or Harbour for Ballast.
All packages not ascertained as to size or weight
to pay a sixth part of the Freight.
For all weighable goods not enumerated or particularly
set forth in the above schedule to pay per Ton.
By order of the Council
June 30th 1879
|
0-6
0-3
1-0
1-0
0-8
0-1
1-0
0-6
1-0
1-0
1-0
0-6
0-4
1-0
2-0
0-4
1-0
0-4
0-2
0-1
0-6
1-0
1-0
0-6
0-2
0-2
1-0
| |
W. J. ATKINS
COBB CLERK
|
|
| | | Links to Other Pages on this Site
|
| |
| | |
|
| | | Links to Other Sites
|
| |
| | |
Recommend a Book for this Page
<a href=BAAAGCRL.php title=" Port of Lyme Regis, Dorset ">
Hits on this page since December 6th| Jan | | |  | | Feb | | | | | Mar | | | | | Apr | | | | | May | | | | | Jun | | | | | Jul | | | | | Aug | | | | | Sep | | | | | Oct | | | | | Nov | | | | | Dec | | |  |
| current year: | | previous year: |
No messages posted on this page Only Members of the Site can post messages in this section. Signing in is easy from our Home Page. DISCLAIMER: Whilst we endeavour to ensure the content of this site is correct, we cannot undertake that information you find here, is, or will remain accurate and complete. We do not warrant that any information contained on this site is fit for any purpose. If you wish to place reliance on any such information you must check its accuracy by some other means before doing so. MEMBERS get aditional features on our pages and will soon be able to interact with the site and add their views and informastion. Sign up, from the Home-Page, is simple and involves typing in your email address and a password of your choice. If you are in any way connected with any location or interested in the subject mentioned on this page and have an hour or two a month to spare, we would welcome you as a local moderator - please email the webmaster by CLICKING HERE. Privacy Policy
|
|
