THIS week in Looking Back we explore the history of The Greyhound Hotel in Bridport, East Street.

There has been an inn on the site since the 13th century and is said to have got its name in Tudor times, when the silver greyhound was the badge of the royal messenger.

In 1851, the Greyhound was billed as ‘Commercial Inn, Greyhound Corn Exchange Office.

During the time the pub was called this a plaque was put up, which read: ‘The place fixed for the delivery of corn returns within this town is The Greyhound Hotel, where an officer of customs and excise will attend as inspector of corn returns to receive the corn returns on the day on which such returns are required by law to be made’.

In 1910, the building displayed the words ‘The Greyhound Hotel’ and was owned by Walter Trump.

It is possible it was also called The Black Greyhound at one time, presumably because there was a ‘White Greyhound’ next to The Bull Hotel.

Although the pub dates back to the 13th century, the first recorded use of The Greyhound as a pub name was not until around 1515.

The Greyhound Hotel stands alongside the town hall, which itself stood on the site of the ancient Chapel of St Andrew, owned by Roger Barri.

Roger Barri had an interest in local industry and traded in flax and hemp, however, 80 per cent of his taxable wealth was in wine, hence his interest in the building of the tavern.

Following his death, Roger’s wife Lucy inherited the tavern on this site, which she leased to a man known as John the Hatter.

In 1386, the lease of the inn was inherited by the wife of Robert de Bemynster, MP for Bridport and a local wealthy lawyer.

On her death in 1410, the tavern was granted to the bailiffs and community of Bridport forever.

The Greyhound Hotel is now owned by J D Wetherspoon and re-opened a number of rooms in 2016.

More information on Bridport's history and photos are available on the Wetherspoons 'pub history' page.