Situated on a sheltered bay at the mouth of the River Wey, 7 miles (11 km) south of the county town of Dorchester, Weymouth had a population of 53,416 in 2021.

The history of the town stretches back to the 12th century and includes roles in the spread of the Black Death, the settlement of the Americas and the development of Georgian architecture.

Visitors are attracted by its harbour and position, approximately halfway along the Jurassic Coast, a World Heritage Site, important for its geology and landforms.

The older of the two, on the south side, was referred to as Weymouth as early as the 10th century, as part of the parish of Wyke Regis, and by 1252 had become a chartered borough and established seaport, trading in imported wine.

In 1571, Queen Elizabeth I became so tired of the petitioning that she united the two towns in an Act of Parliament, to form a double borough of Weymouth and Melcombe Regis.

[16] During the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars, Weymouth started to gain some military importance: in 1795, the Red Barracks were constructed for cavalry troops stationed at Nothe.

[35] The following wards of Weymouth elect councillors to Dorset Council: Littlemoor and Preston, Melcombe Regis, Radipole, Rodwell and Wyke, Upwey and Broadwey and Westham.

Weymouth, Portland and the Purbeck district are in the South Dorset parliamentary constituency, which elects one Member of Parliament: since 2024, Lloyd Hatton (Labour).

[43] Weymouth is built on weak sand and clay rock which in most places along the Dorset coast, except for narrow bands at Lulworth Cove, Swanage and Durdle Door, has been eroded and transported away.

[44] This weak rock has been protected at Weymouth by Chesil Beach and the strong limestone Isle of Portland that lies offshore, 3 km (2 mi) south of Wyke Regis.

Radipole Lake, the largest nature reserve, and mouth of the River Wey before it flows into Weymouth Harbour, are important habitats for fish and migratory birds, and over 200 species of plants.

[3] These terraces form a long, continuous arc of buildings which face Weymouth Bay along the esplanade, which is home to statues of Victoria, George III and Sir Henry Edwards, Member of Parliament for the borough from 1867 to 1885, and two war memorials.

[71] The Office for National Statistics define a "Weymouth Built-up Area", which includes parts of the neighbouring parishes of Bincombe and Chickerell,[72] having a total population of 55,535 in 2021.

Like other BIDs located around the UK, it is a business-led initiative supported by Government legislation that enables the local businesses to raise funding to improve the trading environment.

Work began in 2007 on improvements to the esplanade: a public square was constructed around the restored statue of King George III, the Art Deco, a tourist information centre and café was built (2020), along with repairs and painting to existing Victorian-style shelters and new cafe seasonal kiosks, a beach rescue centre (2020), and a sand art pavilion for the sculptures of Mark Anderson.

[90][91] Figures released by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, in 2014 and 2019, suggested that the ex-borough of Weymouth and Portland was in the top 10% of the most deprived districts in the UK.

[99][100] In addition to beautification and better access, aimed at attracting visitors, there will be improved facilities for fishermen, including secure compounds for equipment and increased cold storage for catches.

[102] There are over two hundred events held throughout the year in the borough,[103][104] including firework festivals,[105] dragon boat racing,[106] beach volleyball,[107] and motocross,[108] and the annual carnival in mid-August.

[111] The Pavilion was owned and operated by Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, providing a venue for local community groups and schools, and hosting seasonal 'end-of-the-pier' entertainment and year-round shows and events.

[115] Orienteering also takes place at Lodmoor Country Park, which is close to the town centre and also the venue for a weekly 5 km fun run.

[118][119] The centre takes part in an extensive breeding programme[120] and also helps protect marine environments across the world through its partnership with the Sea Life Trust.

Routes run from Weymouth to the Isle of Portland, Dorchester, Poole, Wool, Beaminster, Axminster, and to other villages and the town's holiday parks.

[129] On 5 April 2007, Dorset County Council granted planning permission for a single carriageway relief road, running 7 km (4 mi) north, and a 1000-space park-and-ride scheme, costing £84.5 million.

[130][131] During archaeological excavations carried out in advance of the relief road construction, a burial pit containing 51 dismembered skeletons of Viking men was discovered on Ridgeway Hill.

[157] Until 2010 Motorcycle speedway racing was staged adjacent to the stadium; the club closed following disputes with the landlords and the team, the Wildcats, relocated to Poole.

[161] As part of the South West of England Regional Development Agency's plans to redevelop the area around the academy, a new 600-berth marina and an extension with more on-site facilities was built.

[173][174] Reception is also possible in some areas from the Rowridge transmitter meaning the town is also covered by local news from BBC South Today in Southampton and ITV Meridian.

[187] Many of his other works incorporate features of the town and surrounding area: in The Return of the Native, one character describes Weymouth as a place where, "out of every ten folk you meet nine of 'em in love".

The esplanade,[188] Gloucester Lodge Hotel and Old Rooms feature in Hardy's The Trumpet-Major (1880);[189] the town was renamed "Budmouth" in the 1895 edition, to bring the novel within fictional 'Wessex',[190] and Chesil Bank is referred to in The Well-Beloved (1897).

[200] When HMS Marlborough sailed into Algeciras Bay in April 1781, to relieve Gibraltar during the Great Siege, she was carrying aboard two natives of Weymouth: the captain, Taylor Penny and a midshipman called Joseph Spear.