Author Archives: miltonabbashistorygroup

Poor House or Work House?

Posted on May 24, 2021 by miltonabbashistorygroup

Did you know that there was a Poor House in the new village of Milton Abbas? This was not called a work house in our records until 1804, and was built after the houses in the Street but before the … Continue reading →

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Grist

Posted on May 3, 2021 by miltonabbashistorygroup

Every parish had its Overseers of the Poor who were responsible for raising the ‘poor rates’ and for the payments to the poor. The agricultural labourers (ag labs) in Dorset at this time were some of the poorest in the … Continue reading →

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St Samson of Dol

Posted on March 12, 2021 by miltonabbashistorygroup

Also spelled St Sampson. In a recent article in Current Archaeology (373, April 2021), Chris Catling has written an article on the evidence of early Christianity in western Britain. St Samson was extremely important for Milton Abbey, or at least … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Mount Pleasant, Dorchester

Posted on January 20, 2021 by miltonabbashistorygroup

Not Milton Abbas, but some news which may be of interest to those interested in prehistory and archaeology is a new study of Mount Pleasant, Dorchester. I have found this enigmatic henge the most interesting of all prehistoric monuments since … Continue reading →

Posted in archaeology | 1 Comment

Your family history!

Posted on December 9, 2020 by miltonabbashistorygroup

Tired of reading books about kings and queens, the rich and famous? Fed up with Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn? The lives of ordinary people are just as tragic, difficult, triumphant and revelationary. How your ancestors survived the traumas and … Continue reading →

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Dorchester Gaol

Posted on November 25, 2020 by miltonabbashistorygroup

In the Dorset History Centre and available on Ancestry is the Criminal process register. 1782-1808, Catalogue Reference NG-PR/1/D/1/1. This gives much information, such as the prisoner’s name, the magistrate who committed them, their place of residence, their description, age, date … Continue reading →

Posted in Dorset, family history, local history, Old Town of Milton Abbas, records, social history | Leave a comment

Milton Abbas Martyrs

Posted on October 28, 2020 by miltonabbashistorygroup

Help us research these important people, they may be part of your family tree. They were pioneers, victims of oppressive laws and their story should be as well known as the Tolpuddle Martyrs. William Vatcher 1753-1818 John Bennett, alias Vatcher … Continue reading →

Posted in social history | 3 Comments

Who built the new village of Milton Abbas?

Posted on September 29, 2020 by miltonabbashistorygroup

It is not certain who was responsible for the design and building of the new “model” village of Milton Abbas. The names that have vied for credit are Sir William Chambers, one of Lord Milton’s architects, and Lancelot “Capability” Brown, … Continue reading →

Posted in local history, Milton Abbas, Old Town of Milton Abbas | Leave a comment

Women

Posted on September 7, 2020 by miltonabbashistorygroup

It has to be admitted that women in England have had a very poor deal since the time of William the Conqueror. It is only in the late twentieth century that they have regained the rights they had in Anglo-Saxon … Continue reading →

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Pleydell v Earl of Dorchester 1795

Posted on August 21, 2020 by miltonabbashistorygroup

This document is a note book of 60 hand written pages by one hand. It is held by Dorset History Centre, catalogue reference D-PLR/L/15. It contains transcripts of letters, opinions and memoranda of proceedings in the case of Pleydell v … Continue reading →

Posted in Damer | 2 Comments