Ropewalks and the linear city

Abstract Sailing ships required miles of rope for rigging, and its frequent replacement. Most ports of any size had roperies or rope manufactures that transformed hemp or other materials through combing, twisting, and tarring to produce a strong product that would resist the stresses of strain and water. A ready supply of rope supported expanding navies and merchant companies, and competition for more efficient production spurred competition between port cities. To make long lengths of rope, uninterrupted straight areas were needed close to the waterfront. Sometimes these were covered spaces, sometimes streets or walks set aside for the purpose. Ropewalks shaped ports through the creation of linear demarcations against the irregular edge where water meets land. Rope manufacture was an essential industry for ports but also a frequent site of fires that often did great damage to dense urban areas. The importance of rope as a pre-modern industry is gone yet the traces of it remain in the extended port landscape.