{"id":187502,"date":"2021-08-16T12:09:12","date_gmt":"2021-08-16T11:09:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fiveminutesspare.com\/travel\/?p=187502"},"modified":"2021-08-16T12:09:12","modified_gmt":"2021-08-16T11:09:12","slug":"lyme-regis-in-five-minutes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fiveminutesspare.com\/travel\/lyme-regis-in-five-minutes\/","title":{"rendered":"Lyme Regis – In Five Minutes!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lyme Regis in Brief<\/h3>\n

Lyme Regis is a town and seaside resort in Dorset, south-west England. It lies 25 miles (40 km) west of Dorchester and 26 miles (42 km) east of Exeter. The town sits on Lyme Bay on the English Channel at the Dorset\u2013Devon border and the mouth of the River Lym. Dubbed the ‘Pearl of Dorset’, the town is arguably best known for its idyllic location on the Jurassic Coast and its ancient harbour, \u2018the Cobb\u2019. However, it’s also known for being a favoured shooting location for TV and film period dramas. In 2019, Lyme Regis’s population was estimated at 4,805.<\/p>\n

A Fleeting History<\/h3>\n

Early Times<\/h4>\n

The Iron Age forts of Pilsdon Pen, Lambert\u2019s Castle, Blackberry Castle, and Coney Castle are testament to the Lyme Regis area\u2019s early settlement. An ancient villa found at the nearby village of Harcombe gives proof of the area\u2019s Roman occupation. The Romans named the area “Lym Supra Mare”, where Lym was the name of the local river. The ‘Supra Mare’ part translates from Latin as \u2018beyond the sea\u2019.<\/p>\n

In the late 8th<\/sup> century, the Saxon King of Wessex \u2018Cynewulf\u2019 gifted land along the River Lym to Sherborne Abbey. It gave the monks the unique right to extract salt from the mouth of the Lym. By the time of the Domesday Book of 1086, the area was known as \u2018Lyme\u2019. Around 1100, the Normans built a parish church at Lym dedicated to the Archangel Michael.<\/p>\n

The 13th century saw Lyme develop to become one of England\u2019s most important ports. King Edward, I sheltered his fleet in the town\u2019s natural harbour \u2018the Cobb\u2019 during the Anglo-French wars. In 1284, as a reward, he granted a royal charter to Lyme, which saw “Regis” (meaning \u2018of the King\u2019) added to the town’s name.<\/p>\n

Rebellion<\/h4>\n

By the 16th<\/sup> century, Lyme Regis had gained a reputation for its royal dissenters. Mary Tudor called Lyme \u2018\u2018that heretic town\u2019\u2019 and stopped the annual grant to maintain the Cobb. When the English Civil War started in 1642, the town came out as staunchly Parliamentarian, to no one’s great surprise. In 1644, Prince Maurice, nephew of King Charles I, laid siege to the town. However, after five weeks, his royalist forces had suffered heavy losses and were forced into withdrawal.<\/p>\n

In 1685, James, Duke of Monmouth, the illegitimate son of Charles II, sailed from Holland to Lyme Regis. His purpose was to claim the English throne from his uncle, the Catholic monarch James II. He chose to land at Lyme Regis because of its strong Protestant sympathies. Landing in June 1685, he quickly assembled an army of 3,000 local volunteers. They quickly began their march towards London. However, on 6th July, they were engaged by the King\u2019s army near Bridgwater at the Battle of Sedgemoor. Monmouth’s army was thoroughly routed though he managed to escape the battlefield. However, he was quickly captured and taken to London. He was executed only 9 days later.<\/p>\n

The infamous Judge Jeffreys was sent to Winchester to oversee the trials of some 1400 prisoners. The proceedings became known as the Bloody Assizes. They saw some 300 of the accused sentenced to death, while most of the rest were given transportation orders. In all, ninety-nine men from Lyme were arrested, twelve of whom were executed.<\/p>\n

Fossils and the Famed<\/h3>\n

By the mid-18th century, Lyme Regis had become a favourite haunt of the well-heeled. It became particularly popular with the bohemian fraternity. Famous visitors included authors Henry Fielding and Jane Austin and painters William Turner and James Whistler. Some of the famed literary visitors who followed in their footsteps, include Lord Tennyson, Oscar Wilde, Beatrix Potter, GK Chesterton, PG Wodehouse, and JJR Tolkien.<\/p>\n

In 1799, one of Lyme’s most famous residents, Mary Anning, was born. From age 12 until her death in 1849, Mary spent much of her time searching the local coastline for fossils. A pioneering amateur geologist and paleontologist, she was responsible for some of the most important fossil find in Dorset. However, she would often sell these to avid collectors to supplement her meager carpenter’s income. Sadly, Mary died before her work achieved any kind of recognition.<\/p>\n

Triumph and Disaster<\/h4>\n

In August 1903, a branch line opened from the main rail network at Axminster to Lyme Regis. The 5-mile line of steep grades and sharp curves ran through some of England\u2019s most picturesque countryside. The line opened with great success, which saw a big boost to Lyme\u2019s tourist numbers.<\/p>\n

On New Year’s Day, 1915, the battleship HMS Formidable was torpedoed off the coast of Lyme Regis. It was the first major strike by a German U-boat of World War I. The incident saw 547 of the 694 ship\u2019s crew perish. The local lifeboat was utilised to deliver some of the bodies to the Pilot Boat Inn in Bridge Street.<\/p>\n

In 1965, Lyme Regis’ railway station closed following the Beeching Report recommendations. The station was dismantled and rebuilt at Alresford on the Mid-Hants Watercress Line in Hampshire.<\/p>\n

The Modern Era<\/h4>\n

Lyme Regis\u2019 economy is largely dependant on the service sector, where tourism is a large slice of the pie. Like many resort towns, Lyme also has a large independent retail sector consisting of many bespoke shops. To promote the tourism and retail sector the town runs a large programme of annual events and festivals. This schedule consists of at least a dozen events that last between 1 \u2013 7 days. It starts at Easter with a 2-day beer festival and ends with the Christmas lights turn-on in late November. Three of the more notable events are:<\/p>\n

The Coast to Coast Motorcycle Run<\/h5>\n

In June, the town hosts the start of the annual Coast to Coast Motorcycle Run. The event can see more than 200 vintage and classic motorbikes gathered in the town. The rally leaves from the Cobb car park in Lyme Regis, and heads the 45 miles north to Burnham-on-Sea, on the north Somerset coast.<\/p>\n

Lyme Regis Jazz festival<\/h5>\n

The internationally renowned Lyme Regis Jazz Festival is held during the first weekend in July. The event includes a display by the famed RAF\u2019s air display team the Red Arrows<\/p>\n

Regatta & Carnival Week<\/h5>\n

The Regatta and Carnival usually takes place in early August. It opens with the Sailing Club Regatta Race. The week culminates with a grand parade and firework display.<\/p>\n

Other annual events include:<\/p>\n