Bridport is a market town in Dorset, England. It's situated around 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometres) inland from the English Channel close to the confluence of the River Brit and its tributary the Asker. Bridport consists of a number of modest suburban districts, a few of which were previously separate villages. One and a half miles away from the town centre and inside the town's boundary is West Bay, a fishing harbour generally known as Bridport Harbour till the creation of the town's railway. With reference to population estimates of Bridport recorded in the middle of 2012, the town boasts a resident population of 14,697, which demonstrates a significant increase from the around 13,500 recorded during the 2011 Census. According to council tax records, in 2014, the proportion of homes inside Bridport's built-up area that were second homes was 4.8%. The town originated in the Saxon period and it features a lengthy history as a rope-making area, though numerous of its buildings date from the 18th century. During the 21st century, Bridport's arts scene has contributed to the town becoming increasingly well-liked with people from outside the area. It has an arts centre, theatre, library, cinema and museum, and numerous annual events. The Lyric Theatre, which reopened in 2010, hosts quirky theatre, puppetry, comedy, clowning and music. It is also the base of children's theatre company Stuff and Nonsense. Bridport Museum, in South Street, contains an extensive archive of the town's long history of rope-making. The town also features as Port Bredy in the fictional Wessex of Thomas Hardy's novels. For all of your property upgrades, make certain that you work with trusted specialists in Bridport to make sure you get the best quality service.