EDO5476 - 51 Commercial Road, Weymouth; desk-based assessment 2005

A desk-based assessment of a proposed development site. The authors considered information in the Historic Environment Record, and some historic documents. They note that the earliest documentary reference to the settlements of Weymouth and Melcombe Regis comes from charters bestowed upon both towns in the mid thirteenth century, and discuss the development of the towns through the medieval period as separate foci of trade and settlement. The layout of the medieval town of Melcombe Regis can be detected in the grid pattern and street names of the modern town. The report continues 'Of particular interest in Melcombe Regis was the foundation in 1418 of a Dominican Friary to the east of the Site on Maiden Street. The Friars ministered to the town and were responsible for building and maintaining a jetty to increase the port; they also contributed to the town's defences. It appears unlikely that the Site lay within the bounds of the Friary, as the Dominican house seems to have occupied a restricted area within the eastern quarter of the devloping town. It would seem that the Weymouth side of the harbour remained the main focus for port development up until the 17th century, when contemporary accounts refer to a stagnation in its development due to the restricted area of the town which had good access to the harbour. This in turn led to increased development on the Melcombe Regis side, as this was said to be 'standing on the flat' and 'afforedeth room for building' (RCHM 1970)'. They continue 'A rapid review of cartographic sources suggests that there have been structures on the Site since at least the later 17th century. However, the nature and extent of any previous structures on the Site is not clear: further research would be required to establish whether at any time a basemented property has stood on the Site which could have implications for the survival of archaeological remains prior to the post-medieval.' The cartographic sources consulted are not listed, and the nature and extent of the structures that occupied the site from the 17th century is not made clear in the report.