How North Quay Weymouth has changed over the years

The street alongside the Weymouth backwater, now known as the marina, is set to change yet again when the controversial council offices, which were opened in the 1970s, are finally demolished.

These photos from the Terry Gale collection, taken in 1935, show North Quay as it was before the Chapelhay bombings in the Second World War.

It is a world away from the street scene today. Instead of cars dominating, this tree-lined street looks peaceful with just a couple of pedestrians strolling along by the waterside.

North Quay before the 1940 bombings (Image: NQ)

Two other pictures record the demolition of the buildings and the clearing of the rubble on the site where the municipal offices now stand.

North Quay before the 1940 bombings (Image: NQ)

Clearing of the rubble on the site (Image: NQ)

The same view in more recent times (Image: NQ)

Clearing of the rubble on site (Image: NQ)

The look of North Quay will change yet again with the demolition of the former Weymouth and Portland Borough Council offices set to begin. 

It's been a long time coming for the site which has stood derelict since 2017.

Dorset Council received planning permission in July to demolish the building and an excavation of the site, which was the first step in the process, has now come to an end.

The council said the project remains on schedule and the exterior demolition will start the week before Christmas.

Strikes, redundancies and local squabbles were relegated to the background as Weymouth celebrated its 400th anniversary with a visit from Princess Anne, who opened the controversial £300,000 new municipal offices in 1971.

She was watched on by the new Mayor of Weymouth, 39-year-old Tony Biles, the youngest ever civic head.

Princess Anne opens Weymouth's new municipal offices on North Quay on June 1, 1971, watched by Mayor Tony Biles (Image: NQ)

After the Second World War bombings of Chapelhay, there was a significant amount of dereliction and bombing damage in North Quay.

People living there were moved out prior to demolition and the whole lot came down in 1961 and 1965.

The main star attraction was the Tudor House, which came down in 1961.

The Tudor House in Weymouth (Image: Supplied by Mark Vine)

This suffered as a result of the Chapelhay bombing, which was in 1940.

The Tudor House, No 4, North Quay was thought to have been the harbourmaster's house in Tudor times.

Although moves to preserve it began as early as 1951, when redevelopment of this bomb-damaged area was being considered, the decision following a public inquiry in 1959 was that no preservation order should be made.

Weymouth Civic Society fought plans for the destruction of all the buildings along North Quay, including the Tudor House.

The issue arose as to whether the Tudor House was protected by any preservation order.

The county planning officer maintained that a promise made by the town clerk not to demolish the house without a court of inquiry was tantamount to a preservation order. 

However, when the list of buildings of historic interest for Weymouth was published the next month the Tudor House was not included.

the borough council bought the house at valuation and so relinquished the right to a War Damage Condition Grant putting the house at greater risk,” Mr Mabb said.
Despite much lobbying, the council voted 30 to six not to retain the house.

An old picture of North Quay (Image: NQ)

After gaining support from the Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, the Royal Fine Arts Commission, the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society and the Wilts and Dorset Society of Architects, a meeting resolved that the building couldn’t be demolished until a public inquiry on the whole Chapelhay area had been held. 

Money was raised for repair and conversion, but the inquiry, held in December 1955, was inconclusive.

Plans for the new council offices were drawn up in 1958.

At about the same time the Minister of Housing and Local Government proposed a preservation order for the Tudor House. 

The council objected and a public inquiry was called for April 1959.

The civic society’s plea was that the site could accommodate both the new offices and the Tudor House. But the council wanted space for a library, a possible extension and car parking.

North Quay photographed ahead of its demolition (Image: NQ)

Some of the Tudor House building was dumped in the harbour backwater opposite.

The staircase balusters were rescued  from being thrown into the demolition fire.

These are now incorporated into the communion rail at St Ann’s Church, Radipole.

There is a Tudor House remaining in Weymouth. In nearby Trinity Street people can tour a Tudor House which was built in 1600 and originally stood on the edge of ‘The Cove’, an inlet from the harbour which was filled in during the 18th century. It is owned and operated by Weymouth Civic Society.