Glanvilles Wootton

Church of St Mary the Virgin

Glanvilles Wootton is a small rural parish and village in north central Dorset, England, located in the Vale of the White Hart. It is approximately 7 miles south-east of Sherborne, and 12 miles north of Dorchester, It was formerly in the division and union of Cerne but now is in North Dorset Local Authority. Glanvilles Wootton is bordered by the parishes of Holwell and Folke to the north, Pulham to the east, Buckland Newton in the south while Minterne Magna, Haydon (Detached) and Holnest form the western boundary. The name of the Parish was changed in 1985, having previously been Wootton Glanville. The Parish Church, St Mary the Virgin, is a small Gothic edifice, with a low embattled tower and three bells (by 1915 there were 4 bells). On the south side is a chapel, which was a chantry, and has been applied as a burial-place by the Williams, Every, and Henley families, to whom there are several handsome monuments erected.

The church registers date from 1546. The Parish also has a Wesleyan Methodist chapel, now disused. There is a Manor House. The area of the current parish is 690 hectares, in 1865 the area was 1665 acres. The former National School (built in 1857 and enlarged in 1905 for 90 children) is now closed and converted into a private dwelling. The population in 1841 was 342; 329 in 1850; in 1861, 301; 1871, 314; 1881, 237; 1891, 239; 1901, 172 and in 1911, 211. In 1991 the population was 182 and consisted 74 dwellings. Apart from the main village there are several hamlets in the Parish, including Osehill Green, Newlands (tithing) and Round Chimneys. Dungeon is a large Roman camp. Nowadays the village has no public house, but the former Pure Drop Inn and New Inn both still stand though now converted into private dwellings. The former Post Office is now also a private cottage. There is a small village hall near the village centre. The father of the great Duke of Marlborough lived in the farm house called "Round Chimneys" around 1645.

For a more detailed description of the Parish please visit the Dorset Ancestors site article

Wesleyan Methodist Chapel

The Online Parish Clerk (OPC) for Glanvilles Wootton is Jon Baker

You may contact me by e-mail if you have further queries.
Please Note: I am an unpaid volunteer willing to assist others with their genealogical
research and should in no way be confused with the County or Church appointed
Parish Clerk. I also do not live in the vicinity of the Parish

Available Data