Melcombe Regis is an area of
Weymouth in
Dorset
Dorset ( ; Archaism, archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by Somerset to the north-west, Wiltshire to the north and the north-east, Hampshire to the east, t ...
, England. Situated on the north shore of
Weymouth Harbour and originally part of the waste of
Radipole, it seems only to have developed as a significant settlement and seaport in the 13th century.
History
Melcombe Regis received a
charter
A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified. It is implicit that the granter retains superiority (or sovereignty), and that the ...
as a
borough
A borough is an administrative division in various English language, English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely.
History
...
in 1268.
Melcombe was one of the first points of entry of the
Black Death
The Black Death was a bubonic plague pandemic that occurred in Europe from 1346 to 1353. It was one of the list of epidemics, most fatal pandemics in human history; as many as people perished, perhaps 50% of Europe's 14th century population. ...
into England in the summer of 1348 (the disease was possibly carried there by infected soldiers and sailors returning from the
Hundred Years' War
The Hundred Years' War (; 1337–1453) was a conflict between the kingdoms of Kingdom of England, England and Kingdom of France, France and a civil war in France during the Late Middle Ages. It emerged from feudal disputes over the Duchy ...
, or from a visiting spice ship).
The two boroughs, Melcombe on the north shore and Weymouth on the south, were joined as a double borough in 1571, after which time the name ''Weymouth'' came to serve for them both. Nevertheless, Melcombe Regis remained a separate parish and became a
civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government. Civil parishes can trace their origin to the ancient system of parishes, w ...
in 1866. In 1911 the parish had a population of 10,952. On 1 April 1920 the parish was abolished and merged with Weymouth.
After two centuries of decline, the town's fortunes were dramatically revived by the patronage of the
Duke of Gloucester, brother of King
George III
George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland, Ireland from 25 October 1760 until his death in 1820. The Acts of Union 1800 unified Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and ...
, in the 1780s, and then of the King himself, who regularly used the town as a holiday resort between 1789 and 1811. He is commemorated by a prominent statue on the Esplanade, or sea-front, recording the gratitude of the inhabitants, and by the locally well-known ''
Osmington White Horse''. The well-known terraces of large late
Georgian town houses on the Esplanade date from this period, with additional building later in the 19th century. The town has the
Regis name.
The town was well established as a successful resort by the time that George's visits ceased, and has continued as such to the present day.
Weymouth & Melcombe Regis was used as a base for Allied troops in the
D-Day landings of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, and has since operated on and off as a cross-channel ferry terminus.
Politics
In the UK national parliament,
Melcombe Regis is within the
South Dorset constituency.
After
2019 structural changes to local government in England, Morcombelake is part of the
Melcombe Regis ward which elects 1 member to
Dorset Council.
See also
*
Regis (Place)
*
List of place names with royal patronage in the United Kingdom
*
Portland
*
List of boroughs in Dorset
References
External links
{{Commons category, Melcombe Regis
Melcombe Regis Local History
Seaside resorts in England
Geography of Weymouth, Dorset
1571 establishments in England
Former civil parishes in Dorset