Listed Building record MDO12406 - Good's Yard Warehouse, West Bay, Bridport

Good’s Yard Warehouse is the earliest and largest warehouse in West Bay, built in the later 18th century, perhaps in 1771. It is a three-storey L-shaped stone building which forms part of a complex including a walled yard, several houses, a walled garden and a number of smaller 19th century buildings. The building retains many original features internally and externally, including mullioned windows, external stairs, wooden cranes, wooden panelling, etc. This warehouse may have been used as a bonded warehouse during the period that West Bay (Bridport Harbour) was designated a bond port (between 1832-1881).

Good’s Yard Warehouse is the earliest and largest warehouse in West Bay. It may have been built in 1771, and was certainly extant by 1787. At this date, it formed the centre of the settlement of West Bay, along with the Bridport Arms. In the early 19th century, the warehouse was occupied by H. B. Way for the storage of flax, hemp, iron, and wine. It has been owned by the Good family throughout the 20th century. (1)

The warehouse is a three storey L-shaped stone building, which forms the main building in a complex which includes a walled yard, several houses, a walled garden and a number of smaller 19th century buildings. Another storehouse was formerly located on the west side of the yard. (1).

The warehouse is constructed from hammer dressed stone with blue lias window dressings and mullions and a pitched slate roof. The main range has six ranges of three-light mullioned windows, two ranges of planked loading doors and external staircases. Internally, the basement has an unusual construction comprising a longitudinal barrel-vaulted ceiling with its apex reinforced by an arcaded spine wall with chamfered diaphragm arches. The entry to the basement has a heavy studded door and may have been used as a secure storage area. The upper floors are lined with planked panelling and retain may original features including two wooden cranes and floor traps. The roof appears to have been replaced by the late 19th century. (1)

This warehouse may have been used as a bonded warehouse during the period that West Bay (Bridport Harbour) was designated a bond port (between 1832-1881).

Good's Yard comprises a complex of buildings, including Good's Yard Warehouse, which is the oldest and the largest of the warehouses at West Bay.The warehouse was probably built in c1770 following the reconstruction of Bridport Harbour in 1744. The three-storeyed warehouse has a walled yard to the north and a large walled garden to the south. The yard is an original feature which contains several other related industrial buildings dating from the late 18th and 19th centuries. A modified late 18th- or early 19th-century house, possibly former accommodation for a site manager, adjoins to the south-west, and a modified early 19th-century house stands to the west of the site entrance at the north end of the yard. A row of late 18th-century cottages and a distinctive 18th-century house, of three storeys, were attached to the east end of the warehouse until the 1950s. <3>

<1> Williams, M, 2006, Bridport and West Bay. The buildings of the flax and hemp industry, 47-48 (Monograph). SDO10498.

<2> National Record of the Historic Environment, 868137 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

<3> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BF112252 (Index). SDO14738.

<4> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1305808 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

<4> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1475974 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Aug 23 2024 3:45PM