Dorset has a local history of Smuggling stretching back to the 14th Century, there are certainly a lot of historical connections to Weymouth, Portland, and the surrounding area.

The famous novel “Moonfleet” was written at the end of the 19th Century by John Meade-Falkner, and was set in the small village of East Fleet, on the banks of the Fleet Lagoon – the perfect setting for smuggling operations, far from the interfering Coastguard and Revenue Officers. This village was mostly destroyed in a huge storm during the 19th Century, and only a small hamlet and part of the original church now remain.

We can organise private tours of this area, or a more general tour starting from outside the Nothe Tavern on Barrack Road, near the site of the Coastguard Cottages on Weekday Evenings, starting after 7pm.

Come and join us for a fascinating insight into the past with the “Free Traders” and learn about the history behind this great story of 18th Century smuggling on the Dorset coast!