Westham, Dorset

Westham
Westham Bridge
Westham Location within Dorset
Civil parish	Weymouth
Unitary authority	Dorset
Ceremonial county	Dorset
Region	South West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Weymouth
Postcode district	DT4
Police	Dorset
Fire	Dorset and Wiltshire
Ambulance	South Western
UK Parliament	South Dorset
List of places UK England Dorset 50°36′43″N2°28′12″W / 50.61194°N 2.47000°W / 50.61194; -2.47000

Westham is a suburb of Weymouth, Dorset, England.

History

Westham was established as a new suburb of Weymouth from the early 1880s. ^[1] In 1880, the largely undeveloped Abbotsbury Road, along which Westham was centred, saw the construction of a number of residential properties, a chapel of ease, a schoolhouse and a steam laundry operated by the Weymouth Sanitary Steam Laundry Ltd. ^[2] The name Westham was decided upon during a meeting of "owners and holders of property in the district", held on 15 September 1882 at the Rock Hotel. ^[3]

There were approximately 550 inhabitants in 1882 and this had increased to over 2,000 in 1892. ^{[3] [1]} The population in 2021 was 9,393. ^[4]

Westham Bridge was opened in 1921. ^[5] In 2021, Westham Bridge Cycle Shelter was removed. ^[6]

Politics

The Westham ward elects members to Dorset Council.

Buildings

• St Paul's Church, Weymouth
• Westham Halt railway station

References

1. "Laying the foundation stone of St. Paul's at Westham" . The Southern Times. 12 May 1894. p. 5. Retrieved 12 July 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
2. "A suggestion" . The Southern Times. 18 September 1880. p. 4. Retrieved 12 July 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
3. "Naming of the new town on the Abbotsbury Road" . The Dorset County Chronicle. 21 September 1882. p. 4. Retrieved 12 July 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
4. "Area profile for Westham". Dorset Council. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
5. "Old picture of bridge that once led to miniature railway". Dorset Echo. 9 April 2021. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
6. "Dorset Council begins removal of Westham Bridge Cycle Shelter after receiving local support". Dorset Council news. 23 July 2021. Retrieved 9 December 2023.