Author Archives: miltonabbashistorygroup

Discover your Parish Boundary

When did parish boundaries develop? How has your parish boundary changed in the past 1000 years? Why? It surprises me that there are not many local history groups who explore their parish boundaries. The boundary is an essential part of … Continue reading

Posted in Anglo-Saxon, Domesday, landscape, local history, records | 1 Comment

Jack Hargreaves: ‘Why 79 Dorset Villages vanished’

Thanks to Jill Arnold who runs the Arnold Family Facebook page who for reminding me of Jack Hargreaves. I used to watch his series of ‘Out of Town’ every week. Jack lived in Belchawell, just 5 miles from Milton Abbas.  … Continue reading

Posted in Anglo-Saxon, Dorset, landscape, local history, Medieval history | Leave a comment

Milton Abbey before its Dissolution

James G Clark’s new magnum opus ‘The Dissolution of the Monasteries: A New History’, 2021, brings attention to the fact that during the reign of Henry VII 1485 – 1509 the nobility vigorously tried in many ways to interfere in … Continue reading

Posted in books, local history, Milton Abbey, Tregonwell | Leave a comment

What a treasure!

Overseers of the Poor Account Books It is six years ago when I was in Chris Fookes’ shed that I first saw three original Overseers of the Poor Books. They had somehow been saved by the Fookes family of Milton … Continue reading

Posted in Dorset, history, local history, Overseers of the Poor, transcription | 1 Comment

Nicholas Turbeville

One of our members with Milton Abbas ancestors going back the 16th century has discovered that his family were connected to the Turbeville, Horsey, Tregonwell and other high status families. Peter Arnold writes about Nicholas Turbeville: “.. lived at Winterborne … Continue reading

Posted in family history, history, local, local history, Tregonwell | 1 Comment

The name of GERRARD

Whilst searching our transcriptions of Milton Abbas documents for GERRARD it is surprising just how many different spellings of this name there are. The Oxford Names Companion gives: GARRATT, GARRIT, GARRED, GARRAD, GERRETT, GERATT, GERRAD, JARRETT, JARRATT, JERRITT, JARRED, JARAD, … Continue reading

Posted in Churchwardens, family history, local history, Milton Abbas, social history | 2 Comments

St Catherine’s Chapel

This magical and mysterious and religious place was restored by Sir Everard Hambro in 1903. It was re-consecrated that year and the first service in several centuries performed on the Feast of St Catherine 25th November 1903 by the Reverend … Continue reading

Posted in Hambro, local, local history, Medieval history, Milton Abbey, St Catherine's Chapel | Leave a comment

The wealth of the Damers

Just before the death of Joseph Damer, Lord Milton’s daughter in 1828 this list of paintings to be found in just one room of Milton Abbey House was published by Neale in his ‘Views of the seats of noblemen and … Continue reading

Posted in Damer, local history, Milton Abbas, Milton Abbey | Leave a comment

The Role of the Overseers of the Poor

Following two brilliant presentations to the Milton Abbas Local History Group by members Clive Barnes and John O’Quinn, a number of questions were asked about the Overseers of the Poor of Milton Abbas. The presentations are available on the Members … Continue reading

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

Combination Acts 1799 and 1800

The Combination Act of 1799 was an extraordinarily oppressive piece of legislation. After the French revolution it is extraordinary that the Houses of Commons and Lords would risk such an unjust act. There had been acts before against workers in … Continue reading

Posted in Dorset, family history, history, local history, Milton Abbas, social history | Leave a comment