Author Archives: miltonabbashistorygroup

Wool Stealers of Milton Abbas

The following are a huge cast of interrelated characters named by Clive Barnes in his research on the Wool stealers gang of 1836.  Why not find out more about these people and what life, poverty and justice was like in the … Continue reading

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The Wool Stealers of Milton Abbas

Our member Clive Barnes recently gave a presentation on the wool stealers gang. From Milton Abbas James Drake, James Cox, Philip Arnold, James Vatcher and Thomas Cox were charged in 1838 with stealing and receiving wool, wool sacks and sheepskins. … Continue reading

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The Milton Abbas Pendant

Thanks to grants from the Street Fair and MATCH and all the personal donations the pendant has now been acquired by the Dorset Museum, and they have released the story to the press, e.g. Daily Telegraph 10 Mar p2. On Wednesday 8 … Continue reading

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Milton Abbas Grammar School

Our progress so far – we have collected all the leases for the grammar school in Milton Abbas which are in the Dorset History Centre. These 34 leases from 1616 to 1774 prove that the feoffees of the school were … Continue reading

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Justice and Milton Abbas

Following a recent talk on Dorset Justice of the 17th century a number of questions were raised. The Dorset Record Society book volume 14 ‘Dorset Quarter Session 1625 – 1638’ is a transcription of the earliest surviving Order Book for … Continue reading

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The Milton Abbas Pendant update

At a meeting in the Reading Rooms, Milton Abbas, on Tuesday 24 January we were very privileged to hear from Clare Randall, archaeologist, and from Liz Selby, Director of Dorset Museum. The museum is trying to save this important and … Continue reading

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Milton Abbas Grammar School 1521 – 1929

This famous and early grammar school was founded by Abbot Walter Myddelton who endowed the school with land at Little Mayne Farm. There was sufficient income to make it a free school for local people. The trustees of the school … Continue reading

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Dorset in the First World War

One of our members has kindly donated this book, and it had been added to our library, click here to see a list of our books. The information will be informing our World War I research group who are preparing … Continue reading

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Christmas Tree Festival 2022

Thanks to Ann Fookes who organised the tree and to Nicky Griffin for decorating it with images of the medieval tiles of St Catherine’s Chapel. This is the contribution from the Milton Abbas Local History Group for this year. There … Continue reading

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The Milton Abbas Pendant

This article is from the Dorset Museum, thanks to them for allowing us to publish it. They are coordinating the fund raising effort to achieve the £10 000 required to get this unique and interesting object to the Dorset Museum … Continue reading

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