VI11
Page 90
THE SCHOOL,. SUNDAY SCHOOL. WESLEYAN CHAPEL. VILLAGE CROSS.
MAYPOLE.
School.
HUTCHINS (1894) says: " There is a Church of England school, built by the present rector (Canon Dayman), A.D. 1858, but there were originally two Danes' Schools in the village, one at Lanchard and one opposite the New Chapel." The existing school (Mixed and Infants) was enlarged in 1875. An Infant Room was added 1875. In 1894 the Infant Room was enlarged, and the school held 130 children—80 mixed and 50 infants. In 1891 Mr. Edward Diprose was master and Mrs. Beatrice Diprose was Infants mistress.
Sunday School.
There was a morning Sunday School in 1814, with 50 scholars, and in 1810 39 scholars—25 boys and 14 girls. In 1904 afternoon Sunday School was started. For a number of years a Bible Class was held for boys at the Manor House and afterwards at Shillingstone Grange, taught by Mrs. Kyrle Chapman. She and Mrs. Forbes have a splendid record of over fifty years service in Sunday School work
.
Wesleyan Chapel.
Hutchins (1874) says there is a Wesleyan Methodist Meeting House, built 1853-4 the Public Record Office in a Calendar of Trust Deeds relating to charities, at p 866, is: "A piece of land in .the Parish (Shillingstone) for Wesleyan Methodist Connexion—1854".
In the year 1904 a new chapel, and school-room were built by public subscription. The builder was H. Hayward, of Blandford. The site on, the side of the Blandford road was presented by the late Viscount Portman. The building cost £866, and is capable of seating 150 while the schoolroom will accommodate 60. The minister of the Circuit at this time was the Rev. E. Standfast. The chapel mentioned by Hutchins above has been converted into cottages.
Church Room. ,
The building was kindly erected and furnished by Mrs. Kyrle Chapman In 1895. The land was given by the late Viscount Portman at a nominal rent. The room has served many useful purposes, for Church meetings, classes, and various parochial Clubs. Since the return of our men from the War it has been used as the meeting-place of the Working Men's Club almost exclusively. It has a billiard table, which has been much appreciated by the members. A system of petrol lighting was put in by the kindness of Mr. W. A. Padfleld, and the members of the Club are also much indebted to Major Mansel for the additional furniture he presented to them in 1919, to make the room more comfortable.
Church House Recreation Room.
The parish is much indebted to Lady Octavia Legge for providing this room and having it prepared for the benefit of our boys. For several years a Gymnastic Class has been conducted in it with Mr. Walter, of Blandford, as instructor. Shooting, drill, signalling, and other parts of the training of Boy Scouts have also been carried on in it.
VILLAGE CROSS
Hutchins says (1874): "Near the northern end of the village the base of a perpendicular cross of Ham Hill stone still remains, but the sculpture is nearly obliterated." In Old Stone Crosses of Dorset, by Alfred |Pope (1906), page 106, this cross is thus referred to:
"To the north of the village, on the green formed by the junction of the main road with the road leading to the church and rectory, stands the village cross. The base only, consisting of two steps and a socket, was all that remained of it at its restoration in 1903. The basement step is nine feet square on its upper face, finely benched with a deep weather-drip and bold set-off. The second step is plain, with no drip or set-off. The massive socket formed from one solid block of Ham Hill stone is octagonal in its upper bed, brought to a square at its base by bold convex broaches its lower bed being worked with a cant or deep set-off much worn. There are carved sunk panels on the four faces, the subjects of which are now scarcely discernible. The square shaft, which had been sawn off level with the top of the socket, was set diagonally with the base, and run with lead, the whole being of Ham Hill stone ; the basement, previous, the restoration, stood on a level with the ground. A good engraving of the base of the cross as it appeared in Hutchin's time, with a short description, is given in his third edition, vol. iii page 432 These remains were in 1903 raised on a stone sub-base, the Calvary was restored, and a new shaft fixed in the old shaft fixed in the old socket, at the expense of the late Mr. Kyrle Chapman family to his memory. The restoration was completed from the design under the superintendence of Mr. C. E. Pointing, F.S.A. the diocesan architect, to whom the writer is indepted to for the following description of the cross as restored:
"The old base stone and steps have been reset without renewal, the old shaft was let into the base and run with lead; it had been sawn off level with the top of the base It was fixed diagonally, but in order not to destroy this piece of evidence, the new shaft is let in square with the base. The new shaft has pinnacles worked on the angles, and a carved cap. The head has four canopied niches, with sculptured subjects in each, Viz., in the niche facing East, the Crucifixion; in that on the West the Annunciation; in that of the West the Crucifixion; in that of the South, the figure of a bishop, representing St. Birinus; and in that of the North, Saint Aldhelm Those are flanked with pinnacles and surmounted by a crocketed spire
There is an excellent illustration of the cross, as restored, at page 106 of The Old Stone Crosses of Dorset. Saint Birinus was the Genoese monk. The inscription on the cross is: "In Diam Memoriam K.A.C. obiit A.D. 1891."
The work of restoration was entrusted to Mr. Harry Hems of Exeter.
The Maypole.
Hutchins in 1874 says:
( Not far from this (the village cross) stands a lofty May Pole which is re-erected from time. to time, and the Bold customs maintained in full force. Garlands and wreaths are hung and left upon it till they wither. The following inscription appears upon it in Latin :
Arborem Festam
Vetostate corroptam
Rector et Shillingtonensis
Lod.. Flor. Ann
Agentes
CVM. Omne. CVLTV
AS
MDCCCL.
"Translation :
Their Maypole
Decayed by age
The Rector and inhabitants of Shillingstone
Keeping
Their yearly May games
With all due observance
Have carefully restored
on the ninth day of June
A.D. 1850.
"The fading garland warns how short life's day,
The towering May Pole heavenward points the way.
Read thou the lesson—seek to gather now
Undying wreaths to twine a deathless brow.''
THE MAYPOLE 95
"On one side of the arrow, which forms the vane, are the Latin words, "Tamaqua Sagitta" (Like as an arrow). On the other. 'Sic et nos ' (Even so we)."
In a note is added:
"Wisdom of Solomon, v. 12, 13. " The May Pole was again taken down partially about 1864 and re-erected on October 14th, 1868. The present May Pole (1874) measures from the base to the top 110 feet 1 inch, in the ground 8 feet 5 inches, altogether 118 feet 6 inches." This Maypole was blown down in a gale about 1890, and for some years the annual observance was neglected, but recently a fresh pole has been erected and the old festivities have been renewed on the 9th June in each year. In the note in Hutchins above alluded to, which is without doubt by the Rev. Canon Dayman, it is added:
"It may appear strange that May Day should be kept
on the 9th of June, but the explanation is this. On the
Restoration of King Charles II, May 29th, 1660, the Feast
was transferred to that day, and the eleven days difference,
between that day and June 9th expresses the Old Style to the New."
This may be the explanation, but it is probable that the feast had nothing to do with May Day rejoicings, but was a relic of a different institution We find that in 1327 the King granted to Brian de Turberville and his heirs a weekly market on Thursday at their manor of Okford Skillyn, Co. Dorset, and two yearly fairs there, one on the vigil, the feast, and the morrow of St.
Barnabas the Apostle, and the other on the feast of St. Denis.1 The feast of St. Barnabas was on the llth June, so that the fair was held on the l0th, llth and 12th June (the vigil, the feast, and the morrow), in all probability in the open space in the village by the cross. The pole may well have been erected there and decorated on the 9th June (the day before the commencement of the fair), and that day given up to rejoicings
Hutchins records another " feast," or gala, in the form of "a wake which was formerly held yearly on the Sunday after Holy Rood Day," 14th September, the festival of the dedication of the church.
1 Charter Roll, 1327 in 17
Recreation Ground
.
Cricket and football clubs had been going on in the village for a number of years, when the great desirability of having a field suitable for the purpose of a general recreation ground was felt by many: 1909.—Happily, at this time, Mr., now Sir George Lowndes, was living at the Manor House, and the credit of securing a suitable field for the purpose from the late Viscount Portman is largely due to his efforts. He also kindly provided a pavilion and laid out a cricket pitch. Except during the years of the
War, the annual Fete has taken place here.
CHURCH PAROCHIAL COUNCIL 97
.
A Parochial Council had been elected at the Easter Vestry Meeting, 1919. It was not, however, until the Enabling Bill was passed that official sanction was given. It provided for a list of qualified voters, and at an election carried out according to the provisions of the Act, the following were chosen to form the first Church Council for the parish: Chairman, Rev J H. Cooke, LL.D.; Churchwardens, A.Wcbber, O.B.E., R. Pope; Secretary, A Holland, Lady Octavia Legge, Mrs, Kyrle Chapman, Mrs. Forbes, Mrs.Mansel, Mrs Cooke, Miss Tasker, Mrs. Holland, Mrs Trent, Mrs Tibbitts, Mrs. Stone, Miss Pope, Miss Beaumont,
Major Mansel, Major Seymer, 0. Hooper, R.C.P Simpson, C. Stone, W. Atkin, W. Butt, A. J. Robins, and R. Burgoyne.