DORSETSHIIU:. 



DOB8KT8HIRB. 



7-1 



pe iown on the heavier and moUter soils. Potatoca are cultivated to 

 a considerable extent in the rich loam* about Bridport, Beaininiter, 

 Ab'ootabury, Ac. Sainfoin U sown with a xpring croji : four bushels 

 of Mad are required fur an acre. It U cut before the blossom it 

 fully expanded, and made into hay, which is excellent fodder for aheep 

 in whiter. After several yean, when it begun to go off, it U ploughed 

 up, and the land sown with oats. Hemp is cultivated to some extent 

 in the richest soil*, which contain a considerable proportion of sand, 

 and are too light for bean*. Flax u likewise cultivated in the sound 

 deep loams which have been gradually enriched by manuring the 

 preceding crop*. 



The meadows along the rale of Blackmore are extremely rich, and 

 produce much hay, which is used to feed the dairy cows in winter. 

 The upland meadows are well managed, and frequently dressed with 

 lime and dung. Many sheep which feed on the downs in summer 

 are wintered in the rales. The pastures on the hills are well adapted 

 to feed dairy cows. The Dorset butter U in good repute in London 

 and Portsmouth for ship provision as well as domestic use. Dorset 

 salt butu-r, when well washed, is very commonly sold in London for 

 fresh butter. The butter is made from the cream, and the skimmed 

 milk is made into cheese. 



The Dorset aheep are noted as a profitable breed to those who rear 

 house-lambs for the London market. They give much milk, and 

 fatten their lambs better than any other breed. There ia another 

 very small breed in the Isle of Purbeck, and near Weymouth, of 

 which the flesh is in repute with epicures : some consider them as 

 the real and original Dorsetshire breed. They resemble the small 

 forest sheep formerly found on all the commons of the Forest of 

 Windsor, and on Bagshot Heath, the mutton of which was in equal 

 repute as Bagshot mutton. The wool is fine, but the fleece does not 

 weigh above 14 or 2 Ibs. on an average. The Southdown breed is very 

 generally found in Dorsetshire, and suits the pasture and climate better 

 than the Leicester. 



Difitiont, Totem, <t-c. The county of Dorset previous to the year 

 1740 was divided into five more considerable parts, or as they were 

 termed 'divisions,' which took their names from the towns of 



Blandford, II. Bridport, III. Dorchester, IV. Shaftesbury, and 

 V. Sherbourne. . These were further subdivided into 35 hundreds, 

 24 liberties, and 10 boroughs. 



Since 1740 a new arrangement of the county has been adopted. 

 The five divisions have been increased to nine, namely : Blandford, 

 north and south, Bridport, Cerne, Dorchester, Shnf teabury, or Shaston, 

 east and west, Sherbourne, or Sherborne, and Sturm iiiater. These 

 divisions are further subdivided into 86 hundreds, 22 liberties, and 

 9 boroughs. The borough of Poole is considered as a county in itself. 



The following are market-towns : DORCHESTER, the county town, 

 and a municipal and parliamentary borough, on the river Frome ; the 

 parliamentary boroughs of BRIDPOBT, on the Brit ; LYMK REOIS, on 

 the Sea; MELCOMBE REOIS, on the Sea, united with that of WEY- 

 MOCTH ; POOLE, on Poole Harbour ; SHAFTESBCRY, on the border of 

 the county adjacent to Wiltshire ; WAREHAM, between the Piddle and 

 the Frome; and the municipal borough of BLANDFORD FOKCM, on 

 the Stour. Of these places, and of the market-towns of BEAMINSTER, 

 on the Brit, near its source, CERNE ABBAS, on the Cerne, CRANBOURSE, 

 SBERBOURNE, on the Yco, STUUMINSTEII, on the Stour, and \YI.M- 

 nouRXE MUSTER, on the Allen, as well as CORFE CASTLE, a disfran- 

 chised borough in the Isle of Purbeck, an account is given under 

 their respective titles. Of Hilton Abbas, Stalbridge, and Swonage, 

 we give a brief notice here. 



Milton Abbot, or Abbot, is said to derive its name (which is a con- 

 traction of Middleton Abbot) from its situation near the centre of 

 the county. It is in a deep vale inclosed by steep chalk hills on the 

 north and south side. The parish had in 1851 a population of 915 

 persona. IU market and fairs have been given up. An abbey 

 founded here by King Athelstan formerly gave importance to the 

 town. The buildings of the abbey were preserved for a long time, 

 but wen gradually pulled down, chiefly to be replaced by more modern 

 erections. The hall yet remains, a noble and magnificent old room, 

 part of the mansion of Milton Abbey, belonging to the Darner family. 

 This family enjoyed for some time the title of Earl of Dorchester, 

 now extinct. The conventual church is now a private chapel. It 

 consists of the choir, transept*, and tower of the old abbey church : 

 tli.- choir U chiefly of early decorated character ; the transepts and 

 tower are perpendicular. The general appearance of this edifice is 

 very floe. 



Slaliridae U situated about 21 miles N. by K. from Dorchester. 

 The population of the township in 1851 was 1326. The market is 

 held every alternate Tuesday ; and there are two cattle fairs in the 

 year. The town U irregularly hud out. In the market-place is a 

 very dilapidated ancient cross, 22 feet high, or including the base of 

 three stops 30 feet. The church, a large asjricnt structure, with a 

 hiirh embattled tower at the west end, has been recently repaired. 

 There are an Independent chapel, and a free school Stone is quarried 

 in the parish, and used for building and roofing. 



Smutagt, 29 miles E.S.E. from Dorchecter, population 2014, a 

 decayed market-town and lea-purL The church, which is upac-ioim, 

 U of different periods ; some parU are very ancient. There are 

 chapels belonging to the Independent* and Wesleyan Methodists. 



The town consists of street a mile in length, containing many good 

 shops. Swanago is much resorted to during the dimmer for sea- 

 bathing. Many of the inhabitants are employed in extensive stone- 

 quarries in the neighbourhood. 



The following are the more important villages, with their population 

 in 1851, and a few other particulars : 



A/pwldlt, 8 miles K.N.E. from Dorchester : population of the 

 parish, 488. The church, which is a very handsome specimen of the 

 decorated style, originally belonged to Cerne Abbey ; in the int.-iW 

 is some fine carving. On Bladeu Heath, in this parish, are several 

 curious excavations. Beer Regii, 104 miles E.N.E. from Dorchester, 

 population 1242, ia a decayed market-town. The church has a noble 

 carved oak roof; in the interior are remains of several fine altar- 

 tombs. The Independents and Wesleyan Methodists have places of 

 worship, and there is a Free school. A fair is held on SeptemlxT loth 

 and the four following days. Beer Regis now forms part of the borough 

 of Woreham. Broadway, 6 miles 8. by W. from Dorchester : ]< 

 tion of the pariah, 610. Besides the church, which wag rebuilt in 

 1836, there are a Wesleyan Methodist chapel and a National school. 

 The village is much resorted to on account of a mineral sulphureous 

 xpring, known as Nottington Spa. Broad Windsor, 18 miles N.E. 

 from Dorchester: population, 1661. Besides the parish church, 

 which is ancient, there is a new church at Blackdown, a hamlet of 

 Brood Windsor ; there are also a Dissenting chapel and a Free school. 

 Sailcloth is manufactured. Auckland Nevton, or Buck-land Abbot, 11 

 miles N. from Dorchester, formerly a market-town, now an extensive 

 village : population of the pariah, 990. There are here on anri. nt 

 pariah church, a chapel for Dissenters, and a Free school. Charmoutk, 

 21 miles W. from Dorchester, population 664, a village situated on 

 the coast at the mouth of the river Char, is much resorted to dining 

 the summer for sea-bathing. It has a modem church, on IiioV|icinK-iit 

 and a Wealeyan Methodist chapel, and National and British schools. 

 Wat Chictcrdl, 7 miles S.S.W. from Dorchester: population of tho 

 parish, 577. The church, which ia in the early English style, originally 

 belonged to Bindon Abbey. In the interior is a Norman font. At 

 the west end of the church are two large bells, suspended under stone 

 arches. The Independents have a chapel in the village. There is a 

 fishery here, of which the proceeds, chiefly mackerel, are forwarded 

 to London and elsewhere by railway from Dorchester. Dawlish, 8 

 miles N.E. from Dorchester : population, 442. The village, which lies 

 in a hollow, and has a brook running through it, contains a very 

 ancient and interesting church, a Wesleyan Methodist chapel, and a 

 Free school. An extensive business was formerly carried on in making 

 wire shirt-buttons. Several Roman remains, including a tosselated 

 pavement, have been discovered in the neighbourhood. Ecertkot, 13 

 miles N.N.W. from Dorchester, population 606, formerly a market- 

 town ; two fairs are held in the course of the year. The church is 

 ancient. Near the south side of the church is St. John's Spring, 

 generally called the source of the river Frome. The Free Grammar 

 school, founded in 1628, has on income from endowment of about 

 90/. a year, and hod 53 scholars in 1851. OiUingliam, 26 miles N. by 

 E. from Dorchester, population 2806, contains a spacious and hand- 

 some church, recently rebuilt; chapels for Baptists, and Wealeyan 

 and Primitive Methodists, a Free school, a National school, and a 

 Temperance hall. A small market is held on Friday, a fair for rattle 

 on Trinity Monday, and a pleasure fair on September 12th. The town 

 is lighted with gas. There are ailk manufactures, flour-mills, ami an 

 extensive brewery. Ifamprcston, or Ham Chambcrlayne, 24 mili-s 

 K..N.K. from Dorchester: population of the entire parish, li 

 partly in Hampshire, 1193. The church ia very ancient. There are a 

 new Independent chapel, with a spire and clock, a Methodist chapel, 

 and a National school. At Stape Hill is a Roman Catholic nunnery. 

 Lylchett Matraren, population 878, about 10 miles E. by N. from 

 Dorchester, has a fine old church, in which are some good monuments. 

 In the village are chapels for Wesleyan and Primitive Methodists, and 

 a National school Lytchett Himter, an adjoining village, population 

 of the parish 878, being the same number as Lytchett Matravers, 

 possesses a parish church, erected in 1834. The Baptists and Wes- 

 leyan Methodists have places of worship; there are also a N-- 

 school and some parochial charities. Lytchett Beacon commands an 

 extensive and beautiful view of the coast Marnhull, 22 miles N.N.I : 

 from Dorchester : population, 1481. The church is a spacious edifice 

 in tin: early English style. There are a Wesleyan Methodist and a 

 Roman Catholic chapel, a Free school, and a Roman Catholic school. 

 In the neighbourhood is Nash House, a fine mansion, containing some 

 good pictures. Motcvmbc, 80 miles N.N.E. from Dorchester : popula- 

 ti-.n, 1535. The church waa rebuilt in 1846; attached to it U a 

 National school built and supported by the Marquis of Westminster. 

 The Wesleyans and Primitive MethodisU have chapels. The Marquis 

 of Westminster has a fine seat here called Motcombe Hall. .V. n 

 is situated on the right bonk of the Brit, between Bearninatcr and 

 Bridport, 19 miles W.N.W. from Dorchester : population, 2066. Tin- 

 church, which is in the perpendicular style, has been partly restored. 

 There are a Dissenting chapel and a Free school. In the m i^hl'our- 

 hood are several good mansions. Parkxtnm , 'VI mile* E. from Dor- 

 chester, population of the chapclry 899, a village in a piclm 

 situation near Poole harbour. Besides tho church, which wan built 

 in 1833, there U an Independent chapel The neighbourhood affords 



