of 



By Rev. HERBERT PENTIN, M.A., F.R. Hist. Soc. 



(Read Dec. 14th, 1903.} 



S the members of the Field Club wandered over the 

 lawns around the Abbey Church and Abbey 

 House of Milton at their summer meeting this 

 year, there probably were not many among 

 them who knew that they were walking over 

 the site of one of the most ancient towns 

 in Dorset. The present village of Milton is 

 only a little over 100 years old ; the old town 

 of Milton grew up with the Abbey founded by 

 King Athelstan in the year 938. The town 

 was known in early times as u Middleton " (of which Milton is a 

 contraction), because it was the middle town of the county. 

 This ancient town was pulled down by Joseph, Lord Milton 

 (afterwards Earl of Dorchester), in the year 1786, because it 

 was too close to his residence and proved an annoyance to him. 

 Only two cottages were spared, which still exist, and are 

 occupied. Unfortunately, very little is known of this destroyed 

 town, and the particulars which are here gathered together are 

 very fragmentary. 



The old Abbey House stood where the present one now 

 stands, to the north of the Abbey Church. At the rear of it was 

 a very large garden, called the Abbey Garden ; to the north-east 

 of it, some little distance away, was the dairy-house ; and to the 



