126 HISTORY OF BRIDPORT. 



the architecture of the whole may be characterised as inferior, yet 

 from its almost perfect condition this house forms a highly 

 interesting study of the arrangements of medieval dwellings, 

 modified by its evident destination as the residence of a priest." I 

 have not time to give at length the interesting detailed description 

 of the building which the volume contains, but would refer you 

 for it to the work itself. It is satisfactory to know that the 

 premises belong to the Corporation of Bridport, and it is therefore 

 to be hoped will as public property long remain, for the most part 

 at all events, unharmed by the too often ruthless hand of modern 

 improvement. The house was not very many years ago repaired 

 at private expense with the view of retaining its ancient features. 

 The Castle was a house of Tudor Gothic, standing on the east side 

 of the South Street, which may also have been the residence of a 

 chantry priest. It was considerably damaged by fire a few years 

 ago, but the fa9ade remains in a very perfect state, for a detailed 

 account of which I must again refer you to Hutchins. The house 

 was probably called the Castle from having been at one time, I 

 believe, a public-house of that name. 



A matter of considerable interest to touch upon in connection 

 with the town is its staple trade, for which, as I before named, the 

 place has been known for centuries. The raison d'etre of its 

 location here was probably the suitability of the soil in the 

 neighbourhood for the growth of hemp. Hutchins says " The soil 

 being strong and rich, this place, and the adjacent parishes, produce 

 plenty of excellent hemp ;" but before him Coker writes in very 

 similar terms of " The adjoineing Soyle yeilding great Store of the 

 best Hemp ;" Camden also speaks in like manner of " Birtport 

 seated in a soil which produces the best hemp ;" and Drayton in 

 his verse tells of the 



" Bert, whose batning mellowed banke, 

 From all the British soyles, for hemp most hugely rank 

 Doth bear away the best. " 



But now that the hemp for the manufactures of the town is 



