WEYMOUTH is very much the traditional seaside resort.
Its crowning glory is the golden sand of the impressive beach backed by the elegant sweep of the Georgian seafront.
Thousands of tourists pour in each summer to enjoy the bucket and spade lifestyle as well as the many attractions in close proximity, such as wildlife centres, country parks and nature reserves.
Easy access to Dorset's dramatic World Heritage Status Jurassic Coast has also made Weymouth the destination for growing numbers of holidaymakers seeking more active breaks.
The compact town centre, criss-crossed by a series of alleyways, is almost entirely surrounded by water and a great deal of activity takes place around the historic harbour and beach.
The bustling harbour is at the very heart of the town with ferries, fishing boats and charter vessels all vying for space.
The resort's marina is usually packed with yachts and the nearby Nothe Fort offers commanding views of the coastline and town. Restaurants and pubs hug the harbourside.
Weymouth is named after the River Wey and records of habitation stretch back to 934.
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There were originally two towns on either side of the harbour, Weymouth and Melcombe Regis, each growing prosperous as ports, before they were united in 1571.
The town was ransacked by the French, fought over in the Civil War and played a major role in the D-Day landings of 1944.
The Black Death came to England via the port, the world's first bathing machines were established in the town and King George III popularised the seaside holiday in Weymouth.
Today's visitors enjoy a host of festivals, ranging from military commemorations to beach volleyball, and one of Britain's biggest New Year's Eve celebrations is hosted by Weymouth.
Weymouth's links with the America's Cup stretch back to 1903 when Sir Thomas Lipton's Shamrock III was dismasted during a sudden squall while undergoing trials in Weymouth Bay on April 17. One crew member was drowned.
The first use of bathing machines is attributed to Weymouth in 1748 when the first leases for their use were granted. King George III, who became a regular visitor after 1789, used an octagonal, horse-pulled bathing hut.
The deadly Black Death, or bubonic plague, arrived in England in 1348 through Melcombe Regis, then a separate town to neighbouring Weymouth, carried by a sailor from Gascony. By the end of the year it had spread throughout the west country, killing up to 50 per cent of the population and causing the end of the feudal system.
The Cutty Sark, the world's only surviving tea clipper, was given to the nation by Weymouth widow Catherine Dowman in 1948.
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Her husband Capt Wilfred Dowman had rescued her in 1922 from a Portuguese shipyard in 1922 and lovingly restored it. The ship was damaged by fire in dry dock at Greenwich in 2007.
Sand sculptor Fred Darrington spent nearly 50 years making elaborate models on Weymouth beach - ranging from King Kong to the Last Supper - using only sand and water until his retirement in 1996. His grandson Mark Anderson continues the tradition today.
US troops left Weymouth in June 1944 for the bloody D-Day battles on Omaha Beach, Normandy. In total, half-a-million military personnel passed through the town in the following months.
The 44-foot landmark Jubilee Clock on Weymouth Esplanade commemorates the golden jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1887 and was paid for by public subscription. It was unveiled in 1888, but not brightly painted until the 1920s. It stood on a platform on the beach until the esplanade was widened.
The statue of George III on Weymouth seafront celebrates the 50th year of his reign and was unveiled in October 1810. The public open space that once surrounded this king's statue is now little more than a road traffic island.
The Nothe Fort was built high above the entrance to Weymouth harbour between 1860 and 1872 as part of a series of south coast fortifications against perceived French aggression. It was used in both world wars, but fell into decline after the military left in 1956. Volunteers have restored the fort and it is now a major tourist attraction.
The ruin of Sandsfoot Castle looks out over Weymouth Bay. It was built by Henry VIII in 1539 as he tangled with European nations. Its position proved the castle's downfall, regular cliff falls undermining the structure along with locals taking stone for building purposes.
There have been a number of Town Bridges in Weymouth, the first recorded construction being in the 1590s. The present lifting structure was opened in 1930 by the Duke of York (later George VI) and continues to be raised on regular intervals to allow yachts to pass through.
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