Maiden Newton

Photograph © courtesy of Jim Fisher at this web site

Maiden Newton is a parish and market town situated on the River Frome 8 miles north-west from Dorchester. The church of St Mary situated at the end of the parish, is an ancient stone structure mainly in the Perpendicular style. It has a square central embattled Norman tower with pinnacles and 6 bells one having an inscription of the 17th century. There is also a Norman door. The church registers date from 1555. The living includes 122 acres of glebe land and residence. There were also Wesleyan and Congregational chapels in the parish.

The parish contains the hamlets of Cruxton, Throop, Notton and Crockway.

At the end of the nineteenth century there was an iron foundry and three branch banks, a cattle market on occasional Mondays and a fair on 9th March and 8th May. The soil is gravel and the main crops during the 19th century were wheat, barley, oats and pasture. The area is 2854 acres.

In 1841 a National School  was built and in 1865 and 1870 this was enlarged to take 200 children. There was a police station and a railway station. The population in 1851 was 815; in 1861, 844; 1871, 856;  1891, 694; 557 in 1931 and 940 in 2001

Bull Lane c.1910. Photograph courtesy of Paul Tompkins ©  and was available from his web site (no longer exists), see below for link to more photos

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