Category Archives: local history

More finds from Milton Abbas

Posted on January 19, 2024 by miltonabbashistorygroup

Perhaps not as exciting as Charles Bullock’s find of the Milton Abbas Pendant, but telling us more about the history of Milton Abbas are some of Charles’ recent finds which he is reporting to the UK Detector Finds Database are … Continue reading →

Posted in archaeology, local history, Medieval history, Metal Detecting, Milton Abbas, Milton Abbey | Leave a comment

Overseers of the Poor Accounts

Posted on December 15, 2023 by miltonabbashistorygroup

Published OoP Accounts books are as rare as hen’s teeth. I remain astonished by this fact since not only are they a name rich source for family historians but they are also a prime example of showing the living and … Continue reading →

Posted in local history, Milton Abbas, Overseers of the Poor, records, social history | Leave a comment

Lord Milton attends Blandford races 1786

Posted on November 30, 2023 by miltonabbashistorygroup

The Blandford races had been held since 1603 at Race Down and attended by the worthies of Dorset. It is remarkable that there exists a list of those arriving in 1786 and Lord Milton with his ‘Coach and six Bays’ … Continue reading →

Posted in Damer, local history, records | Leave a comment

Moved villages – Holkham, Norfolk

Posted on November 20, 2023 by miltonabbashistorygroup

Although the Right Honourable Thomas Coke, Earl of Leicester, decided to move the village of Holkham to allow the building of his new stately home in the 1730s, it might have been an example of an earlier moved village, but … Continue reading →

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

William Woodward – surveyor and map maker

Posted on October 18, 2023 by miltonabbashistorygroup

The Milton Abbas Local History Group have used the survey and maps which William Woodward drew up for Lord Milton around 1779. The originals are in the Dorset History Centre D-919/5 and they have an interesting history in themselves, besides … Continue reading →

Posted in Damer, local history, Milton Abbas, Old Town of Milton Abbas | 1 Comment

Evidence from local Parish Registers

Posted on October 6, 2023 by miltonabbashistorygroup

Turnworth 1747 Whipping boys at Rogationtide perambulations There is a great deal of evidence of how people lived and played in records, sometimes in surprising places. It is always good practise to view the original documents rather that transcriptions by … Continue reading →

Posted in local history, Parish Registers, records, social history, transcription | Leave a comment

The Hilton Controversy 1848

Posted on July 18, 2023 by miltonabbashistorygroup

Thanks to Samantha Fiander for finding some thirteen letters and editorials published in The Times between 26 October and 29 November 1848 concerning the typhus epidemic in Hilton during that year. This search was prompted by the article in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Damer, document, local history, Parish Registers, social history, transcription | Leave a comment

Milton Abbas Grammar School

Posted on July 10, 2023 by miltonabbashistorygroup

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 active in the management of … Continue reading →

Posted in Damer, grammar school, local history, Milton Abbas, Old Town of Milton Abbas, transcription | Leave a comment

The Place Names of Milton Abbas

Posted on June 8, 2023 by miltonabbashistorygroup

Bryan Phillips’ presentation given to the history group on 7 Jun 2023 is now available for members on this website. The pdf contains the full speaker notes. The MALHG have a spreadsheet of more than 1000 field names contained in … Continue reading →

Posted in Anglo-Saxon, Domesday, landscape, local, local history, Medieval history, Milton Abbas, records | Leave a comment

Dark Days of Georgian Britain

Posted on June 3, 2023 by miltonabbashistorygroup

I have just finished reading this book. I have to say that it was one of the most difficult books I have ever read – not because of its difficulty, erudition or academic depth – but because of the sheer … Continue reading →

Posted in local history, Overseers of the Poor, transcription | Leave a comment