BRIDPORT HARBOUR. 187 



deals with the provision of the funds to be expended upon 

 the enterprise. I have brought the writings for inspection by 

 our members, and it will therefore suffice to extract very 

 briefly the more material portions of their contents: 



(1) 19 Jan. 1740. Articles of agreement between John Reynolds of 

 Chester, engineer, and William, Earl of Coventry and Thomas 

 Brodrepp of Melplash, whereby the engineer in consideration of 

 3500 undertakes (1) to erect two piers with foot wharves (in 

 accordance with a " draught or scheme " which is now lost) at a 

 place called Bridport Mouth, extending from the river to low 

 water mark of the sea. (2) to " turn the course of the said river 

 " running from Bridport aforesaid to the sea, so as the same 

 " shall in future run in through and between the said footwharfs 

 " and piers." (3) to make a harbour between the piers, etc., so 

 that the " land w r ater " shall run out between them. And it is 

 further agreed that whenever a sluice of forty feet in breadth, with 

 ten gates, shall be placed across the river, the haven shall be then 

 so cleared from sand as to be fit to receive vessels of 150 tons 

 burden. The work is to be finished within two years of its 

 commencement. 



(2) 14 Dec. 1741. Indenture between the Bailiffs etc. of Bridport 

 and the Earl of Coventry and Thomas Brodrepp, reciting that 

 1000 had been advanced by the two last named parties and 

 charging the harbour dues with repayment of that amount, 

 subject to an earlier charge in favour of John Reynolds for a loan 

 of 500. 



(3) 15 April 1743. Articles of agreement between John Reynolds, 

 then residing at the new haven of Bridport, and the Bailiffs etc., 

 whereby the engineer binds himself to erect (in consideration of 

 500) at the north end of the piers then recently built, a sluice 

 forty feet in breadth and thirty feet in length, with seven draw- 

 gates, and a pair of navigable gates thirteen feet in breadth 

 for small vessels to go up the river. After completion the 

 harbour shall be so scoured by the pent-up water that at least 

 eleven feet of water shall be between the piers at all springtides, 

 so that vessels of 100 tons shall safely enter or leave the harbour 

 at such times without hindrance from any bar of sand. 



It will be useful to trace the acquisition of the land upon which 

 the foregoing works were to be constructed. Among the 

 papers relating to Quarter Sessions business, now in the custody 



