Weymouth’s

GEORGIAN SEAFRONT ARCHITECTURE

AND LOCAL ARCHITECT JAMES HAMILTON

Welcome to Weymouth - and its historic past
Visitors to the seafront of Weymouth - or more accurately Melcome Regis - cannot fail to be impressed by the natural beauty surrounding them. The graceful sweep of the bay, the blue waters, the sands and in the distance the green hills and white cliffs of the Purbecks and the rugged Isle of Portland.

It would have been easy for the human hand to have spoilt this natural panorama, yet the seafront buildings of Weymouth seem to fit comfortably into the scene. Why? What is it that makes them so attractive? Is it their simplicity and cleanliness of line? Their repetitive architectural details? Can we adequately define our local Georgian architecture?

How long have the buildings stood there? Who built them? Who were the Georgians? Who was the architect James Hamilton? What other local men and women were involved in the development?

And why does our present-day Weymouth and Portland Borough Council own so many of these seafront properties - and are the buildings being properly cared for?

The following pages try to answer some of these questions by bringing together much of what is known about one of England's architectural treasures - Weymouth's Georgian seafront.