Doors Reopen at The Rectory, Weymouth for the First Time in Over a Decade...

One of Weymouth’s most intriguing historic buildings, The Rectory on St Thomas Street, will open its doors to the public on Sunday 21 September as part of the Portland and Weymouth Towns of Culture 2025 Heritage Trail.

This marks the first time the building has been open to the public since The Clipper pub closed in October 2013, giving visitors a rare chance to step inside and experience the interior exactly as it was left more than a decade ago.

The building will be open to visitors during three free talks by local historian Graham Perry at 11:00am, 12:00pm, and 1:00pm. Each session will explore the building’s layered past and its place in Weymouth’s cultural story. There is no need to book but space is limited.

Originally built around 1795 as two Georgian townhouses, the property has accommodated some of the town’s most important and influential people.  It was later closely linked to the Jubilee Hall and Gaumont Theatre before becoming a popular pub and music venue in 2000.

The Grade II listed building has recently undergone essential external restoration by owners DJ Property, making it watertight and safeguarding its future. While the exterior has been revitalised, the interior remains preserved in time, offering a unique glimpse of how it looked when the doors finally shut in 2013.

Graham Perry, local historian, says:
“The Rectory is a building with many lives, from a pair of fine gentleman’s residences to a bustling pub and music venue. Its stories reflect not just Weymouth’s history, but its character and spirit too. Being able to share those stories inside the building itself, after so many years closed, will be a unique and memorable experience.”

Please note accessibility is limited with steep entrance steps and uneven surfaces. There are no toilet facilities.