Milton Abbas Local History Group

You must be interested in history or you wouldn’t be looking at our website!

Researching history can be lonely, we know what it is like, we have been doing it a long time! But it is exciting too – the chase for that vital piece of information, that brick wall broken through, that old document revealing something that you hadn’t even considered before. 

Even when you have done the research, the writing up is just as challenging and time consuming. You have to make judgements based on imperfect information, you might be frightened of making mistakes or being criticised when your work is seen by others. 

That is where just talking to others who share your passion and interest is so helpful. Come along to our meetings whether on ZOOM or live and the ideas of other members will inspire you. Sharing your ideas and research is so helpful, and you will be making such a contribution to our shared culture and heritage.

Our members will help you research and publish, whether it be by exhibiting or presenting or website or blog or article or book.

There are plenty of opportunities to help us move forward. Go to our Jobs to Do page to see how you might be able to help.

Many of our members and correspondents have helped us with transcribing documents. Please go to this page for more information.

If you discover any information about Milton Abbas in your research please let us know.

You can join us for just £10/year.

It would be great if you followed our website – just click on the blue button to the right of any page.

Join us in unlocking the secrets of an abandoned town

• Do you have any ancestors from Milton Abbas?
  Anything you could share with us would be invaluable. There is a list of the names of people living in Milton Abbas in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries on here. We have been given family trees of some of these.
• Have you any documents or photos of Milton Abbas or its people?
  Don’t throw them away, share them with us. You might have a vital
  piece of the history jigsaw.
• Are you interested in exploring old documents?
  You can help us by researching at the Dorset History Centre, The House of Lords Record Office and The National Archives. If you cannot visit Milton Abbas you can still help us by transcribing documents and audio recordings. Images of pages are shared using Google docs, although MyAirBridge, One Drive or Dropbox is also possible. Have you knowledge of crowdsourcing? This is an ideal project for this approach.
• Want to enhance your skills in photography, digital image handling, geographical information system (GIS), or operating a drone?
  We have listed buildings, landscape, roads, tracks and boundaries to record; and a history trail to design.
• Like to meet new people?
  Then come and chat to our older villagers and help record their memories. If you cannot visit Milton Abbas we have recordings which you can transcribe, or you could use Skype.
• Calling all archaeologists! Milton Abbas was the site of an Anglo-Saxon monastery and town. There is an abandoned Medieval Town in a protected site. Yet the only known archaeological excavations were for the Royal Commission on Historical Monuments in the 1950s, which was recorded, and another done by Milton Abbey School of which we have no record.
• We would love to hear from you. Please get in touch here