Weymouth and Melcombe Regis

Weymouth and Melcombe Regis (wā`məth, mĕl`kəm rē`jĭs), town (1991 pop. 38,384), Dorset, SW England, on Weymouth Bay. It is a port and a resort town with wide beaches. The port was active in the wool trade in the Middle Ages. Grain, fertilizers, and Portland stone are exported; potatoes, flowers, and tomatoes are imported. The resort facilities are mostly in Melcombe Regis; Elizabeth I amalgamated the two towns in 1571. Weymouth was an embarkation base for the invasion of Normandy in 1944.