66 WESSEX MINSTERS. 



so the present Vicar writes there is a local tradition of a 

 Bishop Pippa and there are traces of a very early Church. 

 One of the panels of the ancient font bears a carving which 

 seems to represent a Bishop in some act of ministration. 

 The name too appears as Pip-minster in comparatively 

 recent times ; but a Bishop Pippa has not come to light. 

 Godwyn gives Putta as Bishop at Tawton before Crediton ; 

 but no Pippa. It has been suggested also that Begeminster, 

 in which form Beaminster seems first to appear, contains 

 the name of Bega, a possible founder or foundress. The 

 Diet, of Christian Biography gives Bega, Begha and Begu ; 

 but in each case the traditions only touch Ireland and N. 

 Britain. Mr. Hine in his recent history inclines to a 

 derivation from Berne, which he takes to mean a growing 

 wood or thicket. This does not seem to account for 

 the form Begeminster ; but the derivation from the name 

 of the neighbouring stream would be equally difficult to 

 trace. 



In presenting this short summary of the evidence which 

 points to the early Mission position of the Minsters we now 

 come to the last fact of importance, and that is the vast 

 extent of the parishes attached, even till a recent date, to these 

 old River and Prebendal Churches. Without any exception 

 it would appear that the district attached to each was very 

 wide ; and in most cases several dependent Chapelries were 

 established in subsequent times and remained in that position 

 till modern days. Thus Corfe Mullen, Hamworthy, and 

 Lytchett Minster were all attached to Sturminster Marshall. 

 Iwerne Minster had Chapels of Hanley, Gussage, Hargrove, 

 E. Orchard and Hinton S. Mary. To Yetminster belonged 

 Leigh and Chetnole, while Wimborne Minster and Sturminster 

 Newton are still very extensive parishes. In fact the 

 largeness of the district originally assigned seems true of 

 all, and points to a time when the limits of responsibility 

 and jurisdiction were not so strictly defined as became the 

 case when priests were instituted tc a cure of souls in parishes 

 as we now know them. 



