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 Dorchester High Street 1890's |
 Fordington High Street 2008 |
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Dorchester is the county town of Dorset and the seat of local goverment. It is situated 16 miles south-west of Blandford, 15 miles east of Bridport and 8 miles north of Weymouth, and built on the river Frome. The town was founded by the Romans who named it Durnovaria after their victory over the iron age hillfort of Maiden Castle close by. Thier strongest town in the south it lay on the great Roman road Via Iceniana. Remains of the town wall they built suggests this enclosed some 80 acres but a great part of the remains were levelled or destroyed in constructing the present 'walks' around the town. Dorchester suffered badly from the plague in 1595 when the living were said to be insufficient to bury the dead and the town was almost entirely destroyed by fire in 1613. It's most notable resident was the Puritan Minister the Rev. John White (1575-1648) the founder of Massachusetts who was at the center of emigration to New England forming the 'Dorchester Company' in 1624. In the Civil War Dorchester was firmly on the side of Parliament being described as 'more against the King than any other place in England'. Judge Jeffries held his 'Bloody Assizes' here in 1685 when 74 prisoners were executed following the Monmouth Rebellion. |
Fordington could now be considered a suburb of Dorchester, but is actually a village in it's own right; it's High street runs directly off the lower end of Dorchester's though much quieter in nature, it's green still retaining a village 'feel'. It derives its name from the ford over the river Frome, which is now crossed by several bridges. At one time Fordington surrounded Dorchester to the south, east and west; and the Dorset History Centre for example is built on the site of the old Fordington barracks. The Church of St George dominates the parish, dating from the 15th Century and antiquities abound within its boundaries including the celebrated amphitheatre of 'Mambury' which was discovered by Sir Christopher Wren, and the Hill Fort of 'Poundbury' with its Roman aqueduct. Fordington had two serious outbreaks of Cholera in 1849 and 1854 which gave rise to its most notable citizen the Rev Henry Moule (1801-1880) an evangelical Minister of St George's church for 51 years and the inventor of the Dry Earth closet. With the two being so close it is not unusual to find records for a person or family in both Fordington and Dorchester so it is always a good idea to check all the records. |
All Records transcribed by the OPC Michael Russell unless otherwise stated
| Census 1841 Dorset County Gaol, Jennifer Dando 1841 Parish of Holy Trinity, Enumerators district 2 1851 Parish of Holy Trinity , Royston Clarke 1851 Parish of All Saints , Andrew Wright 1861 Parish of All Saints , Ron Adams 1861 Holy Trinity - Part 1, Part 2, Ron Adams/Barry Lanning 1861 Parish of St Peter's - Part 1, Part 2, Ron Adams |
Census 1841 Census District 4 District 5 District 6 Barracks Union Workhouse, Sharon Churchill 1851 Census Districts 6a & 6b & Districts 6c & 6d (inc Barracks & Union Workhouse) by Royston Clarke |
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Parish Registers & Bishops Transcripts |
Parish Registers & Bishops Transcripts Baptisms of St George's Church 1577-1599, 1600-1625, 1626-1639, [1640-1663 Not survived] 1664-1690, 1691-1705, 1706-1709, 1710-1733 1734-1755, 1756-1763, 1764-1799, 1800-1812, 1813-1823, 1824-1836, 1837-1850, 1851-1865, 1866-1879 Marriages of St George's Church 1577-1766, 1766-1812 , Phillimore 1813-1836, Burials of St George's Church 1577-1599 , 1600-1625 , 1626-1639 , [1640-1663 Not survived] 1664-1690 , 1691-1705 , 1706-1709 , 1710-1733, 1734-1755 , 1756-1763 , 1764-1799 , 1800-1812 , 1813-1836 , 1837-1850 , 1851-1865 , 1866-1879 , West Fordington -----History of Christ Church & St Mary's Baptisms 1847-1879 |
| Wills, Inventories & Letters of Administration Glossary, of 17th Century Terms Index of 681 Dorchester Wills 1413-1700 1701-1800 1801-1891 Richard BROOKES Wagoner of Dorchester 1708 William HORSFORDE Gentleman of Dorchester 1621 William SPARKS Maltster of Dorchester 1778 Mary TERRY Widow & sister of Rev.John White 1637 Rev John WHITE Patriarch of Dorchester 1648 William WHITEWAY the younger Diarist & Merchant of Dorchester 1635 |
Wills, Inventories & Letters of Administration Glossary, of 17th Century Terms Index of 460 Fordington Wills 1411-1898 , William BARNES, 1st December 1658 Yeoman of Fordington Richard BARTLETT, 29th October 1679 Robert BARTLETT, 3rd August 1661 Katherine BASCOMBE, 16th June 1675 widow Edith BUNN, 6th October 1654 widow Phillip BUNN, 29th September 1662 Husbandman Richard BUSHROD 28th June 1628 Haberdasher & Merchant Adventurer Mary FROOME, 1662 Elinor HACKAM, 15th November 1664 widow Christian LAUERNES [Lawrence], 20th Nov 1663 widow Edward PARKER, 17th October 1661 Rev. Edward PELE, Vicar of Fordington 10 January 1649 Rev. Anthony PELHAM, 20th July 1659 John RASKER, 9th December 1661 George SALISBURY, 16th October 1661 William SPARKS, 27 January 1740 Fellmonger of Fordington Richard WARREN, 5th December 1636 Husbandman Tamsine WINSOR, 20th March 1649 widow |
| Other Records for Dorchester All Saints Church - WWI Memorial, Jennifer Dando Baptist Church Established in Dorchester in 1645 Church Officials (from 1068) in Dorchester Dorchester Company (1624-1626) [Links to the Biographies of 19 Investors] Dorset County Hall - WWII Memorial, Pat Ashdown Dorchester 'Free School' , (1567-1680) The first 100 years The Company of Freemen Charter & Bye Laws , Governors 1621-1824, The Company of Freemen Apprentices 1613-1715 Members 1621-1635 Mayors of Dorchester, (1629-2009) Return of Landowners 1871, Jennifer Dando Seamans Service Records , (1814-1908) 566 Records with birth place of Dorchester |
Other Records for Fordington Baptist Church Established 1645 Cholera Outbreak 1854 Church Officials 1594-1813 - St George John Hutchins, The History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset Newspaper & Other Transcripts from 1776 Overseers accounts 1724, [1725 Not survived] 1726, 1727/28, 1728/29, 1729, Overseers accounts 1782-1792 Overseers accounts 1798-1802 Poor Law & Apprenticeship Records,1712–1858 Poor Law Records , by Richard Travell Quarter Sessions Records ,1625-1638 Seamans Service Records 39 Records with birth place of Fordington Strays ,- Fordington people found in other registers Vicars & Prebendaries , of St George's Fordington |
| Biographies Sir Francis ASHLEY JP [1569 –1635] Recorder of Dorchester Rev.William BENN [1600 –1680] Rector of All Saints & Founder of Dorchester Congregational Church The BLACHFORD Family [1593 –1652] Clothiers of Dorchester Dennis BOND [1588 –1658] Woolen Draper, MP and Mayor of Dorchester in 1635 John BROWNE JP [1582 –1659] of Frampton & Dorchester Richard BUSHROD [1575 –1628] Merchant Adventurer of Dorchester Mary CHANNING (nee BROOKES) [1687 –1705/6] Life, Trial, Condemnation and Execution of Benjamin DEVENISH [1574 –1643] Tailor & Master of the Dorchester Brewhouse Thomas DEVENISH [1589 – after 1638] Keeper of Dorchester Goal & House of Correction Bernard TOUP [c1587-1635] Alderman, Bailiff and Mayor(1634/5) of Dorchester Thomas WARR [1830-1916] veteran of the Charge of the Light Brigade, by Jennifer Dando Rev John WHITE [1575-1648] Patriarch of Dorchester & Rector of Holy Trinity |
Biographies Ann KEATS/WINZAR [1794c –1873] Heroine of the Battle of Waterloo Rev. Henry MOULE [1801–1880] Vicar of Fordington & inventor of the dry earth closet Rev. Horatio MOULE , [1805 –1886] Chaplain of St Pauls Cathedral Calcutta Henry Joseph MOULE , [1825 –1904] Water Colour Artist Rev. George Evans MOULE [1828 –1912] Missionary and Bishop of Mid China Rev. Frederick John MOULE ,[1830 –1900] Vicar of St Peters Church - Yaxley Horatio Mosley MOULE , [1832 –1873] Friend of Thomas Hardy Charles Walter MOULE , [1834 –1921] Classical Lecturer & Tutor at Cambridge Rev. Arthur Evans MOULE , [1836 –1918] Missionary & Archdeacon of Mid China Dr. Handley Carr Glyn MOULE ,[1841 –1920] Bishop of Durham Rev. Edward PELE [PEALE] , [1582 –1643] Vicar of Fordington SPRAGUE Family [1597-1700] From Fullers to Founding Fathers |
| Books & Directories covering both Dorchester & Fordington Books - Extracts of Highways & Byways in Dorset by Sir Frederick Treves 1853 -1923 Books - Review of Fire from Heaven, by David Underdown Pigots Directory 1830 , Jennifer Dando : Pigots Directory 1844 : Slaters Directory 1852/3: Post Office Directory 1875: Kelly's Directory 1889, Ron Adams: Kelly's Directory 1915 - Page 1: & Page 2, Ron Adams 17th Century Pilgrims from Dorchester & Fordington 1620-1640 Emigration to New England from Dorchester & Fordington in the 17th Century The Life of Rev John WHITE (1575-1648) Patriarch of Dorchester Review of Fire from Heaven Life in Dorchester in 17th Century by David Underdown Investors in The Dorchester Company (1624-1626) [Links to the Biographies of 19 Investors] Sprague Family of Fordington - from Fullers to Founding Fathers Tithe Apportionment 1844 This lists landowners but also gives occupiers and a description of the premises & size of land - can be accessed at http://www.dcda.org.uk/TitheApps/TITHElma.htm -then selecting the appropriate Parish Pictures Postcards of Dorchester , Jennifer Dando Postcards of Fordington , Maps 1611 Dorchester & Fordington - John Speeds, Map 1627-1900 Dorsetshire Maps - Dorsetshire.com 1890 ordnance survey Dorchester British History 1889/1903 ordnance survey Dorchester old-maps site [enter 369600/90500] in coordinates boxes Modern maps visit:- www.multimap.com Useful Links Dorchester Goal Report 9th March 1797 Dorchester Goal Registers 1782-1853 website (organised by parish of prisoner) Images of Dorchester. inc inside St Peter's Church Panaramic view of Holy Trinity Church . Dorchester Panaramic view of St Peter's Church . Dorchester Visitation of Dorset for 1623 Index to by British Genealogy.com : Pedigrees (use buttons to navigate - also available on Ancestry.com for members) |