Notes: There are 7 main sources of Information for this database - but it is far from being complete

See separate Biography on the Life of Edward Pele (1582-1643) The Vicar of Fordington & Rector of Compton Vallance

Joshua Churchill (1627-1693/4). Joshua was baptised at Holy Trinity Church in Dorchester on 20th May 1627. He was the 3rd child but the only one to survive infancy from the marriage of John CHURCHILL to Joane EDWARDS at Holy Trinity Church in Dorchester on 19-Jun 1622. Educated initially at the 'Free School' in Dorchester he entered Queens College Cambridge on 18 Aug 1644 progressing to Emmanuel College on 29 Jan 1647/8 but did not graduate taking holy orders instead. He was made Vicar of Over Compton in Dorset in 1650; Rector of Winterborne Came & Farringdon 1655; and then Vicar of Fordington in 1656. There he remained until he was presented to the Assizes in 1660 for not using the Anglican Liturgy and ejected from Fordington in 1662. Said to have been imprisoned at Dorchester 1663/4. He retained a lot of support in the town, for example he was left twenty shillings in the Wills of Christian Lauerens of Fordington dated 20th Nov 1663 and Elinor Hackham of Fordington dated 15th Nov 1664. He went to Compton Valence to live (by 1665) and then assisted the Rev. William Benn in preaching to a dissenting congregation of about 200 at Fordington, and succeeded him in his pastoral office publishing some of Benn's sermons. Episcopal returns for 1669 report him as one of the preachers to "100 or 200 of ordinary ranke most foreigners At Mr Thomas Graves and his sonnes house in Donhead St Andrew Wiltshire. He was licenced 17 April 1672 as a "Congregational teacher in his house in Dorchester and that of Benjamin Devenishe in Fordington. He signed the address of thanks from Dorset Ministers 10th May 1672 and was left £5, & a debt of £5, waived in the Will of Phillip STANSBIE (d.1686).

He marrried an Elizabeth probably at Fordington where all the pariah registers are missing (1640 to 1663 inc) which embraces the entire period of his tenure as vicar there. For the same reason we have no record of children from the marriage except that after his ejection in 1662 he returned with William Benn to establish the Congregational Church and we know he had a house in Dorchester. The Chapel only had a very small burial ground with most burials of its members taking place in Holy Trinity parish. Here Elizabeth the wife of Mr Joshua Churchill was buried on 12th October 1691. She was quickly followed by their daughter Mary on 3rd Nov 1691 and their daughter Elizabeth on 26th Jan 1691/2. Joshua joined them on 8th Jan 1693/4.

Sources CAM: MRD: FFH: Hutchins : Edmund Calamy An Act of Ministers, lecturers, masters & Fellows of colleges and schoolmasters who were ejected or silenced after the restoration of 1660 by the act of Uniformity Pub 1713 (Note Not listed on PL) Freedom after Ejection A Review (1690-1692) of Presbyterian & Congregational Non conformity in England and Wales by Alexander Gordon MA published manchester 1907. Episcopal Returns.

Rev William [Willhelmus] INNS BA [1670 - 1707] The son of William INNS of Oxford, paup, he matriculated at Magdalen College Oxford on 17th Dec 1686 at the age of 16. A Chorister 1684-1691 he was awarded his BA in 1691. He was ordained as a deacon in Magdalen College Chapel on 20th December that year and served as curate of Allcannings Chapelry at Itchilhamptonon from 21st Oct 1698. His ordination as a priest came at the Bishops Palace Chapel at Salisbury on 12th Oct 1701 in preparation for his appointment as perpetual Vicar of Fordington on 28th November that year. He married a Susannah and had a son William INNS bap at Fordington on 28 Jan 1705/6 but the Rev William INNS then died on 7th Aug 1707 being buried in St Georges churchyard on the 11th. Their son William also died aged 3 being buried there on 19th April 1709.

Sources:- Hutchins states 'William Innes, on the cession of Robinson, inst 28 Nov. 1701'; OXA Sources quoted= Boxam 1 120; Fosters Index Eccl; PL Listed as a Vicar; Parish Registers for Fordington.

Rev Latimer CROSSE MA LLD [1668 - 1739] The son of Joshua Crosse of the City of Oxford and scholar of Wadham College he matriculated at Trinity College Oxford 27th March 1685 at the age of 17; awarded his BA in 1688 and MA in 1692. He was ordained a deacon & priest in Magdalen college Chapel on 8th May 1692 and made curate of East Kennett 21st Oct 1698; and vicar of Rowde in Wiltshire on 21st may 1701 until 25 May 1708. On the death of William INNES above he was appointed perpetual vicar of Fordington on 27th Jan 1707/8 taking up office the following April. He left to become Vicar of Corsham in Wiltshire on 17th Oct 1713 where he was in office until 12 Nov 1719. Amongst the church plate at Corsham is a silver paten dated 1719 given to the church by Latimer Crosse. A docuent also exists at the National Archives also dated 1719 which is a testimonial from the Vicar of Milksham and neighbouring clergy. Church records show that he was instituted as Perpetual Vicar of Kentbury St Mary in Berkshire where he died aged 74 on 5th Aug 1739.

Sources:- CL; Hutchins; OXA; PL; Parish Register memoranda; National Archives D/1/14/1/6a/52 1719;

Christopher TWINIHOE (TWYNIHOE or TWYNEHOO) Junior (1722 -1767 ) MA

He was descended from the ancient family of Twynho which is covered in 3 Visitation records. It starts with William Twyniho of Kayford in the Visitation of Somerset in 1575 (page132) showing descent to a George Twyniho of Kayford who married the daughter of Thomas Audley and left a son Christopher Twinyho (d1582) of Turnworth in Dorset who married Edith the daughter and co-heir of William Bamfield of Turnworth. This Christopher Twynihoe died in 1582 and his pedigree is continued in the 1623 Visitation to Dorset (page 95). Christopher & Edith's son and heir George Twynihoe of Turnworth married Ursula the daughter of John Basket of the Isle of Wight - he was still alive in 1623. His son and Heir Christopher Twiniho (1599 - 1643) of Turnworth has his pedigree continued in the 1677 Visitation of Dorset (page 70) showing that he married Elizabeth the daughter of Edward Seeley of Bridgewater. They had Christopher Twyniho (died 1676) of Turnworth who married Jane the daughter of Richard Bingham of Quarlston in Winterborne Stickland in 1657. They had Christopher Twyniho (1658-1696) of Turnworth who married Sarah the daughter of John Brodrep. Christopher & Sarah had Christopher Twyniho (1689/90-1773) of Turnworth The Rector of Steeple with Tyneham who was the father of Christopher Twyniho (1722-1767) of Turnworth the vicar of St Georges in Fordington who pre-deceased his father. I have set out this pedigree at length as with 5 Christopher Twiniho's of Turnworth its not suprising that there is some confusion over who died when.

His father had been appointed Rector of Steeple on 12 Jan 1738 and took on Poxwell in addition on 2nd March 1739 before he resigned his position on 22 April 1742. He was then made rector of Turnworth but church records do no appear to have survived reflecting this appointment which is confirmed by probate when he died. Christopher TWYIHOE (1722-1767) Junior was educated at Oxford where he matriculated at Wadham college on 26 March 1740 aged 18. He was awarded a BA degree at Wadham in 1743 before moving to Merton College Oxford where he gained his MA in 1746. He was ordained deacon at Christchurch on 10th June 1750 and a priest a year later. I have not managed to locate where he served his curacy but he was instituted as Perpetual Vicar of St Georges Church Fordington on the death of John Jacob on 20th April 1759 taking up office according to the parish registers on 29th. His burial was recorded at Turnworth in the parish register as taking place on 24 April 1767 so he predeceased his father. When his father died on 22 Sep 1773 the ancient name of TWYNIHOE became extinct.

Rev Dacre CLEMETSON (1795-1866)

The son of Wilfred Clemetson of Whitehaven Cumberland a Gentleman, he matriculated at St Alban Hall Oxford on the 11 March 1813 aged 18 years. He was duly awarded his BA degree in 1817 and MA in 1819. He was ordained a deacon on 20 Dec 1817 by the Rev Beadon Bishop of Bath & Wells at the chapel in the Palace at Wells and ordained a Priest by Fisher the Bishop of Salisbury one year later. His first appointment was as curate at All Saints church Loughborough Leicestershire in 1820 and he became a stipendary curate (at £100 PA) on 20 Mar 1822 but he came to Dorchester when he was appointed as Chaplain of the Gaol and House of Correction (at £200 p.a.) on the 10 Oct 1825: He is shown as an officiating Minister on lots of baptisms, marriages and burials both in Dorchester and Fordington and seems to have been one of those called upon when existing officials had to be absent.

He married Ellen circa 1830 and baptised his own daughter Ada on 25 Aug 1831 who was later received into St Georges church Fordington by Rev Henry Moule on 2nd March 1832. Unfortunately his wife died, possibly following complications from the birth, and she was buried at Winterbourne Abbas on 12th September 1831. His role within the church seems to have changed somewhat in 1833 as his church record shows that he was appointed Rector of Chilcombe on the 5 Feb 1833 and Chaplain of Dorset County Lunatic asylum at Coliton near Dorchester on the 21 June 1833. Census returns suggest these were additional responsibilities as he is shown in both the 1851 and 1861 Census returns as being resident at North Square Dorchester (In 1851 with his daughter Ada). Unfortunately Ada also died young, being only 22 years old when she passed away, and was buried with her mother on 7th April 1854. Dacre's death is also recorded in the parish registers for Winterbourne Abbas where his age is confirmed as 71 and his home parish to have been St Peters in Dorchester.

As Chaplain of the Dorchester Gaol he administered to the religious needs of Elizabeth Martha Brown during and after her trial for the murder of her husband. He took a petition for clemency to London and when this failed attended to her in her cell and on the scaffold before she was executed at the gaol on 9th August 1856. He died on 25th April 1866 but was buried with his wife and daughter on 1st May leaving an estate of just under £3,000. He was author of 'The Duties and Encouragements of Christian Charity' pub 1821.

Sources:- Census returns Dorchester 1851 & 1861; CL: National Probate Calendar: NBI: OXA: Parish Records for Dorchester & Fordington: Also the following website: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/77923119/Local_Studies_Orders---Leicestershire-Villages_-an-online-

Rev. Sidney BOULTER MA (1851- 1932) A graduate of Keble Colledge Oxford being awarded his BA (2nd cl Theoligical Scholar) in 1873 and his MA in 1876. He was ordained a Dean 1874 when he became an assistant master and Chaplain at St Marks School Windsor until 1877. He was ordained as a Priest in 1878 and appointed curate of Taynton and Great Barrington near Burford Oxon to 1881. Then Vice Principal at St Boniface. Missionary College Warminster 1881-1884 and Sub Warden 1884-1886. Curate of Warminster 1882-1886 and Broadwinsor 1886-1888. He was then appointed as vicar of Fordington St Georges Church in 1888 a position he held until 1906. The gross income was £325 with residence and a population of over 2,300. In 1906 he moved to become the Rector of Poulshot in Devises. He died there at the age of 81 and on the south wall over the Priest's Door is a memorial to the Rev. Sidney Boulter who died in January 1932 after an incumbency of twenty seven years.

Sources: Crockfords Clerical Directory 1898 & 1932 ; Kelleys Dir 1895; PL The Bristol Mercury and Daily Post (Bristol, England), Monday, January 2, 1888; Issue 12367 Also: Liverpool Mercury etc (Liverpool, England), Thursday, February 2, 1888; Issue 12500 - Also The Bristol Mercury and Daily Post (Bristol, England), Friday, February 3, 1888; Issue 12395; A Historical sketch of Poulshot church by Stanley harper; GRO Devises 5a/133

Rev. Albert Frederick ACTON (1859-1938) Son of Thomas LOWE of Newcastle Drive, The Park, Nottingham. Born 2nd April 1859 at Nottingham. School Wellington College. Admitted pens at Trinity College Cambridge 1st June 1878. Matriculated for Michs 1878 awarded his BA 1882; MA 1920; Chich. College 1887; Ordained a deacon 1888; a priest 1889 at Sarum. Curate of Stourpaine 1888-1894; Curate of Fordington St George 1894-1897; Tolpuddle 1900-1901; Rector of West Grimstead Wiltshire 1901-1906; Rector of Brixton Deverill Rectory Warminster, Dio Saraum 1907-1920. Minor Canon of Newcastle. New South Wales Australia 1920-1922; of Neatherd East Dereham Norfolk. Died 20th Sep 1938.

Rev. Richard Grosvenor BARTELOT (1868-1947) Link to an account of his life