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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 government. 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 hill fort of Maiden Castle close by. Their 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 leveled 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 Jeffreys 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
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Census 1841 All Saints : Holy Trinity : St Peters Part 1 : St Peters Part 2 : Dorset County Gaol 1851 All Saints : Holy Trinity District 5a : Holy Trinity Districts 5 & 6 : St Peters 1861 All Saints : Holy Trinity - Part 1 : Part 2, : St Peter's - Part 1 : Part 2, 1871 All Saints: Holy Trinity: St Peters 1881 All Saints: Holy Trinity: St Peters 1891 All Saints : Holy Trinity : St Peters 1901 All Saints: Holy Trinity: St Peters 1911 All Saints: Holy Trinity: St Peters |
Census 1841 (Districts) Four: Five: Six: Barracks: Union Workhouse: 1851 (Districts) Six (a) & (b) : Six (c) & (d) + Barracks & Union Workhouse: 1861 (Districts) Six: Seven: Eight: Nine (+ Union Workhouse): The Barracks: 1871 (Districts) Six:: Seven:: Eight:: 1881 (Districts) 1891 (Districts) 1901 (Districts) 1911 (Districts) |
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Parish Registers & Bishops Transcripts Church History Baptisms: All Saints: 1653-1732, 1733-1749, 1750-1799, 1800-1812, 1813-1836, 1837-1850, 1851-1880, [1881-1970] Holy Trinity: 1559-1617, 1618-1630, [1631- 1738]: 1739-1770, 1771-1812, 1813-1837, 1838-1850, 1851-1880, St Peters: 1653-1729, 1730-1770, 1771-1812, 1813-1850, 1851-1880, [1881-1951] Congregational Church: [1828-1951] Independent Church Durngate St: 1788-1837, (Inc Huntingdon's Chapel 1822-1826) Presbyterian Chapel, Protestant Dissenters: 1750-1836, Wesleyan Church: [1831-1837]: Wesleyan Methodist: [1838-1921] Marriages: All Saints: 1654-1699, 1700-1749, 1750-1799, 1800-1880, [1881-1970] Banns: [1754-1824] 1825-1880, Holy Trinity: 1560-1712, 1713-1812, 1813-1880, [1881-1975] Banns: 1853-1880, St Peters: 1653-1729, 1730-1800, 1801-1847, [1848-1973] Banns: [1754-1979] Burials: All Saints: 1613-1730 , 1731-1770, 1771-1813, 1814-1837, 1838-1880, Holy Trinity: 1559-1618, 1619-1628, [1629-1652]: 1653-1680, 1681-1722, 1723-1763, 1764-1812, 1813-1837, 1838-1874, St Peter's: 1611-1700, 1701-1760, 1761-1812, 1813-1837, 1838-1882, Burials: Civic Cemeteries 1857-1879, Joint Burial Committee Report 1852 Strays: Dorchester people in other parishes (1597-1837) |
Parish Registers & Bishops Transcripts Baptisms: of St George's 1577-1599, 1600-1625, 1626-1639, [1640-1663 Not survived] 1664-1690, 1691-1705, 1706-1733, 1734-1755, 1756-1763, 1764-1799, 1800-1812, 1813-1823, 1824-1836, 1837-1850, 1851-1865, 1866-1880 [1881-1968] Baptisms: Christ Church & St Mary's - West Fordington 1847-1879, [1880-1962] Church History, Marriages: St George's 1577-1766, 1766-1812 , 1813-1836, 1837-1859, 1860-1880, [1881-1999] St Mary's [1847-1987] Banns: St George's [1754-1822] 1823-1835, [1836-1852 Missing], 1852-1880, [1881-2001] St Marys [1847-1985] Burials: St George's 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 , 1866-1880 , [1881-1992] Burials: Civic Cemeteries 1857-1879, Joint Burial Committee Report 1852 Strays: Fordington people in other parishes, (1636-1926) |
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Wills, Inventories & Letters of Administration Glossary, of 17th Century Terms Extracts of 712 Wills & Charters in Municipal Records 1395-1410 , 1410-1425 , 1425-1500 , 1500-1652 , List of 873 Wills in the Probate Calendar, National or Wiltshire Archives 1413 -1700, 1701-1800 , 1801-1938 , Daniel ARDEN Goldsmith & Mayor, Will - 1755 Abraham BAKER Earthenware dealer, Will - 1806 Seth BANKS, Rector of All Saints, Will - 1769 Richard BROOKES Wagoner, Will - 1708 Richard BURY Capital Burgess & Mayor, Will - 1660 Henry BUSHROD of Dorchester, Inventory 1688 Edith Jane Voss CHRISTOPHER of Wrackleford, Will - 1940 Margaret CHUBB Widow & Benefactor, Will - 1628 Edward DASHWOOD Mayor, Merchant & Benefactor, Will - 1666/7 Richard DAVIDGE Born in Dorchester & Merchant of London, Will - 1667 Thomas DAVIDGE Merchant, Will - 1614 Henry DOLLING Master of the Freeschool, L/Admin to relict Alice 1690 Jonathan EAMES Butcher, Will - 1747 Thomas EAMES maltster, Will - 1742 William FEACY alias SCHOLLER Will 1675 John FOOT Carpenter, link to Will- 1831 Richard FUDGE Butcher, link to Will - 1836 Maximilian GOLLOP Woollen Draper, Will -1719 John GREEN Merchant, Will - 1613 William HAYDON Millwright, Inventory only - 1685 John HILL Alderman, Capital Burgess & Mayor, Will - 1636 William HORSFORDE Gentleman, Alderman & Capital Burgess, Will - 1621 Alice LODER widow, Will - 1664 Nicholas PURCHASE L/Admin to son Joseph - 1675 Joseph PURCHASE Inventory only - 1682 Alice ROBERTS widow, Will - 1713 Samuel SAMWAYS Gentleman, L/Admin 1748 William SPARKS Maltster, Will - 1778 Mary TERRY Widow & sister of Rev.John White, Will - 1637 Rev John WHITE Patriarch of Dorchester, Will - 1648 William WHITEWAY the younger Diarist & Merchant, Will - 1635 Memorials All Saints Church - WWI Memorial, Dorset County Hall - WWII Memorial, |
Wills, Inventories & Letters of Administration Glossary, of 17th Century Terms List of 502 Fordington Wills 1401-1938 , George ADAMS, Owner of Swan Inn Mill St, Will - 1845 George ANDREWS, Currier, Will - 1851 William BARNES, Yeoman, Will - 1658 Richard BARTLETT, Inventory only - 1679 Robert BARTLETT, L/Admin to relict Jane & Inventory - 1661 Katherine BASCOMBE, Widow, Inventory only - 1675 Caleb BISHOP, Tailor, Will - 1856 William BISHOP,Yeoman, Will - 1668 Edith BUNN, Widow, Will & Inventory - 1654 Phillip BUNN, Husbandman, Will - 1662 Richard BUSHROD Haberdasher & Merchant Adventurer, Will & Biography - 1628 Ethelred CHANNELL, wife of William; L/Admin for estate of Tristram Style, 1691 Elizabeth COLE wife of Edward, L/Admin for estate of Thomas Painter of Portland 1756 John EAMES, Yeoman, L/Admin & Inventory to son Jonathan - 1662 Jonathan EAMES, Yeoman, L/Admin & Inventory to widow Mary - 1702 Lucy EAMES, Widow, L/Admin & Inventory to son Jonathan - 1665 Thomas FORD, L/Admin & Inventory to widow Ruth - 1662 Thomas FORD, L/Admin & Inventory to widow Alice - 1668 Dorothy FREEKE, Widow, Will - 1670 Mary FROOME, L/Admin for estate of Philip BUNN - 1662 Elinor HACKAM, Widow, Will & Inventory - 1664 Christian LAUERNES [Lawrence], Widow, Will - 1663 Edward PARKER, Inventory only - 1661 Rev. Edward PELE, Vicar of Fordington, Verbal Will. L/Admin to relict Alice - 1649 Rev. Anthony PELHAM, Will - 1659 Frances PROWSE, Widow, Will 1733 John PROWSE, Yeoman, Will 1720 John RASKER, Will & Inventory - 1661 George SALISBURY, L/Admin to relict Susannah - 1661 Isaac SPARKS, Gentleman, Will - 1788 William SPARKS, Fellmonger, Will - 1740 Robert TAPP, Yeoman, Will - 1670 Richard WARREN, Husbandman, Will - 1636 John WINDSOR, Yeoman, L/Admin & Inventory to relict Ursula - 1664 Tamsine WINSOR, Widow, Will & Inventory - 1649 Ursula WINSER, Widow, Will - 1670 |
| Other Records for Dorchester Aldermen & Capital Burgesses of Dorchester (Part listing) Bailiffs of Dorchester (Part listing 1528-1834) Baptist Church Established in Dorchester in 1645 Church Officials (from 1068) in Dorchester Company of Freemen Charter & Bye Laws , Governors 1621-1824, Company of Freemen Apprentices 1613-1715 Members 1621-1635: 1698-1718: 1734-1835: Corporate Development of Dorchester (Ref in Charters to Streets, Institutions etc) Dorchester 'Free School' , (1567-1736) The first 160 years, Masters (1550-1878) Dorchester Gallows A short History by Rev. SEV Filleul - 1911 Dorchester People in Historical documents etc (1559-1699) (1700-1923) Dorchester Trade Tokens 1656-1668 Execution of Silvester Wilkins aged 16 at Dorchester Gaol in 1833 John Hutchins, The History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset Loyalty Oath to Charles II - Names of 300 people who signed on 31 Aug 1681 Mayors of Dorchester, (1629-2010) Parliamentary Representation (1294-1863) Recorders & High Stewards of Dorchester Return of Landowners, 1871 Royal Visit to Dorchester by the Prince of Wales 1887 Seamans Service Records , (1814-1908) 549 Records with birth place of Dorchester Town Clerks of Dorchester from 1629 |
Other Records for Fordington Baptist Church Established 1645 Cholera Outbreak 1854 Church Officials 1222-1813 - St George Fordington People in Historical documents and newspapers 1614-2007 John Hutchins, The History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset Maumbury Rings, The Roman Amphitheatre 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 49 Records with birth place of Fordington Vicars & Prebendaries , of St George's Fordington |
| Biographies The ARDEN Family [1671-1852] 16 times Mayors of Dorchester Sir Francis ASHLEY JP [1569 –1635] Recorder of Dorchester Thomas BEACH [1738-1806] Portrait Painter 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 Samuel CRUMLEHOLME [1618-1672] Master of the Dorchester Free School (1651-1657) Venerable John CORNELIUS (alias Mohun) [1557-1594] Executed at Dorchester 1594 Benjamin DEVENISH [1574 –1643] Tailor & Master of the Dorchester Brewhouse Thomas DEVENISH [1589 – after 1638] Keeper of Dorchester Goal & House of Correction The DEWFOL [Dufall]; BAKER & SPICER Families [1800 –1905] China & Glassware Dealers of Dorchester John HILL [1589-1657] Alderman, Capital Burgess and Mayor (1636) of Dorchester Thomas GRIGG [1857-1932] Photographic Artist of Dorchester John POUNCY [1818-1894] & Walter POUNCY [1844-1918] Pioneers in Photography 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 John ASHE Family 1593 to 1640 Labourers of Fordington Anthony EAMES [1595 –1686] Churchwarden, Constable & Pilgrim of Fordington Charles CHRISTOPHER [1700 –1791] Agricultural Labourer 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 Paul's 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 Book - Extracts of Highways & Byways in Dorset by Sir Frederick Treves 1853 -1923 Book - Review of Fire from Heaven, by David Underdown Book - The Dorset Poll Book: Dorchester extracts 1807 - 1831 - 1857 Book - Link to Memorials to old Dorset edited by Thomas Perkins & Herbert Pentin Published 1907 (Particularly pages 145-156 by Dr Handley Moule) Directories: Pigots 1830 : Pigots 1844 : Slaters 1852/3: Post Office 1875: Kelly's 1889: Kelly's 1895: Kelly's 1915 - Page 1: & Page 2, 17th Century Pilgrims from Dorchester & Fordington 1620-1640 Emigration to New England from Dorchester & Fordington in the 17th Century Rev John WHITE (1575-1648) Patriarch of Dorchester - The driving force behind establishing a settlement Dorchester Company (1624-1626) [Biographies on 29 out of 119 Investors who backed emigration] Fire from Heaven Life in Dorchester in 17th Century by David Underdown - Review and Index SPRAGUE Family of Fordington (and Upwey) - from Fullers to Founding Fathers emigrated 1628 Anthony EAMES [1595 –1686] Churchwarden & Constable of Fordington - Pilgrim who emigrated in 1633 ROSE Family of Fordington - Research document into probability that he emigrated with Anthony Eames in 1633. Good Old Dorchester (Massachusetts) Link to A narrative history of the town (1630-1893) by Wm Dana Orcutt Published 1908 (entire book wait for it to load) Postcards & Pictures Dorchester: The Walks (10 cards 22 pictures) : The High Street (22 cards) : South Street & Cornhill (10 cards 3 pictures) : Romantic Postcards (6 cards) : Jenfer Dando collection, (9 cards) Fordington: Steve Poulter collection (6 cards), Maps 1611 'Dorchester & Fordington' - John Speeds Map 1771 'Dorchester' Extracted from The History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset by John Hutchins 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 Jail Registers 1782-1853 website (organised by parish of prisoner) Dorchester Images. (inc inside St Peter's Church) Dorchester The Workhouse Dorchester Municipal Records Panoramic view of Holy Trinity Church . Dorchester Panoramic view of St Peter's Church . Dorchester Tithe Apportionment 1844 This lists landowners but also gives occupiers and a description of the premises & size of land
Cumberland :1615 & 1666 (Index from page 157) Devon: 1620 Dorset: 1623 Index : Pedigrees Hampshire: 1634 Lancaster: 1613 London: 1568: & 1633-1635 (click sides of book as well as page to advance) Somerset: 1531 & 1575 (Alphabetic but in two parts, 2nd part starts page 95) & 1623 Wiltshire: 1623 (Not alphabetic, index at back) |