Category Archives: Old Town of Milton Abbas

When were the Tregonwell Almshouses built? 1647, not 1674!

Posted on March 24, 2026 by miltonabbashistorygroup

©Clive Barnes, March 2026It is well known that the Milton Abbas almshouses were first built in the old town of Milton Abbas and hen moved to the new village in 1779. But when exactly were they first built? If you … Continue reading →

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

Research Group

Posted on June 1, 2025 by miltonabbashistorygroup

©Bryan Phillips Jun2025 As well as giving a series of monthly talks, we also have a Research Group. We meet about four times a year and discuss our progress on the topics we are each researching. This is the most … Continue reading →

Posted in landscape, local history, Metal Detecting, Milton Abbey, Old Town of Milton Abbas | Leave a comment

Finds

Posted on March 10, 2025 by miltonabbashistorygroup

©Bryan Phillips March 2025 Thanks to Charles Bullock for sharing his finds with us. He has been metal detecting in Milton Abbas for some time now and has found some extraordinary items which, with our existing knowledge of the history … Continue reading →

Posted in archaeology, Metal Detecting, Milton Abbas, Milton Abbey, Old Town of Milton Abbas | Leave a comment

“Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous” – song, Good Charlotte

Posted on December 2, 2024 by miltonabbashistorygroup

© Anne Litchfield Dec 2024 A peek into the life and lifestyle of Jacob Bancks 1704-1738 through his goods and assets as outlined in the inventory attached to probate documents in The National Archives. When he died in 1738 aged … Continue reading →

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

Markets and Fairs

Posted on November 17, 2024 by miltonabbashistorygroup

©Bryan Phillips Nov 2024 See our new webpage for yet another mystery in the history of Milton Abbas. There is an explanation of St Sampson’s day fair on this website too. Milton Abbas fair was the second biggest in Dorset … Continue reading →

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

The Hawkins family of Milton Abbas

Posted on August 21, 2024 by miltonabbashistorygroup

©Bryan Phillips Aug 2024 Want to know more about the lives of people who once lived in Milton Abbas? Do you have BARNES, HARVEY, HAWKINS, HAM, MITCHELL, or STANDFIELD ancestors? Our member Clive Barnes gave a presentation to the Milton … Continue reading →

Posted in family history, local history, Milton Abbas, occupations, Old Town of Milton Abbas, Overseers of the Poor, Parish Registers, records | Leave a comment

Will of Edward Damer, 1703

Posted on July 22, 2024 by miltonabbashistorygroup

©Bryan Phillips Jul 2024  Wills and inventories are a marvellous source of information for local and family historians. Our super transcriber Shirley Chick has just completed the will of Edward Damer 1703. This gives a wealth of information on the … Continue reading →

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

One Place Studies

Posted on May 8, 2024 by miltonabbashistorygroup

©Bryan Phillips May 2024 If you have an ancestor who came from Milton Abbas at any time in the past going as far back as 1317 then you are in luck! We have already done the research that you need … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Churchwardens, document, Dorset, family history, local, local history, Milton Abbas, Old Town of Milton Abbas, Overseers of the Poor, Parish Registers, social history | Leave a comment

Research Group

Posted on February 5, 2024 by miltonabbashistorygroup

Our Old Town Project research group have all the documents relevant to the period in Milton Abbas history when Joseph Damer, Lord Milton, Earl of Dorchester owned the parish and moved the town to its current location. All these documents … Continue reading →

Posted in archaeology, Capability Brown, Damer, local history, Medieval history, Metal Detecting, Old Town of Milton Abbas, social history | 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