George III travelled to Weymouth for many years at the end of the 18th century, of course: he wanted to swim in the sea.

Although this was done discreetly with bathing carts and no one was allowed to go into the water near his majesty, a new fashion emerged:

🔜Sea bathing became hip.

At the same time, this meant the decline of spa towns such as Bath or Leamington Spa. The king as a trendsetter and advertising magnate for Weymouth!

Translated by Google •

Stephen

October 11, 2024

A cool statue of king George

Mike Cree

October 12, 2024

Known for his love of Weymouth, the King made over ten visits and stays here during his life. Always staying at the then Gloucester lodge. The grand building can still be seen in its prime position today and currently is converted in to a number of flats. It is also home to the popular Moby Dick's pub and restaurant.
With his patronage of the town, the king changed the fortune of Weymouth, and a lot of the buildings along the seafront are mostly of Georgian architecture during the king's reign. George III was originally advised to travel to Weymouth to consolidate his recovery from his first bout of serious physical and mental illness, sometimes now interpreted as porphyria. The court came with the King, and the national papers reported the event. As a result of the king's interest in the area, it was decided that Weymouth should have a statue in tribute to him. The idea was first raised in 1802 and a statue was soon designed and made – based on the designs of architect James Hamilton. However, the plan was put on hold after the king fell ill in 1805, with the structure being locked away. The year 1809 marked the beginning of the fiftieth year of the king's reign, which caused the statue to be erected in place.

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Location: Weymouth, Weymouth And Portland, Dorset, South West England, England, United Kingdom

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