[4] In historical times the main economy of the village was the production of flax and hemp for Bridport's rope and net manufacturing trade.

[citation needed] More recently the main business has been milk, beef, sheep, pigs and arable production and, since the decline of agriculture in the late 20th century, the village has hosted two colleges, many small workshops and several large self-catering holiday lets.

There is an old road from the sea through the village, that used to take pilgrims to the shrine of St Wite at Whitchurch Canonicorum.

The main landmark in the village is the distinctive Colmer's Hill, a near-conical sandstone eminence topped by pine trees.

It is highly visible from the main street in Bridport, and its significance extends back to around the 11th century.

During World War I 21 Scots Pine trees were planted on the summit by Major W P Colfox MC in memory of those who had died in battle.

[11] The parish church of St John the Baptist is in Early English style and cruciform shape, it has a nave, transepts, south porch and square tower with six small bells and a clock.

It was not until the 20th century when the then owners, the Colfox family, had collected together much of the previously manorial land that the house acquired this title.

Originally a medieval farmhouse, it was heavily remodelled by Crickmay in the late 19th century for the Symonds Udall family to whom Thomas Hardy and William Barnes were regular visitors.

Symondsbury was held by the Abbey of Cerne until dissolution, whence it passed to the Dukes of Somerset and this was the administrative centre of their manorial landholding.

In 1672 the Duchess of Somerset, to clear the debts of the late Duke, sold much of Symondsbury in nearly two dozen lots to various tenants, but retained Shutes Farmhouse (the Colmer tenement) as the centre of the residual manorial holding which along with the Lordship were sold shortly afterwards to the Earl of Ilchester whose heir still holds the title, but no land.