Compton Abbas

 

EXTRACTS FROM DIRECTORIES

 

1855, 1859, 1875, 1889, 1895,

 

Post Office Directory 1855

 

Compton Abbas is a small parish in Sixpenny Handley Hundred, West Shaston Division, in the Union and parliamentary borough of Shaftesbury, seated at the foot of the Melbury hills, where stands the ancient church of Gothic structure,. It is in the archdeaconry of Dorset, diocese of Salisbury, patronage of Sir Richard Plumtre Glyn; the Rev. William Samber Radley is the rector; value £340 per annum. Sir R.P.Glyn is lord of the manor. Population 465; acreage 1516. Here is a barrow.

 

Twyford is a hamlet 2 miles west; Bareknap 1½ miles west; Crockers 2½ miles west; West Compton half a mile west.

 

Hadley Rev. William Samber (rector)

Hoffe Mr Philip Rideout

Baker John, parish clerk

Baker Thomas, farmer, Twyford

Beale John, farmer, Twyford

Feltham John, farmer

Gurd Joseph, farmer

Hannam John, farmer

Harding Thomas, wheelwright

Horder John, farmer

Horder Thos, carpenter & wheelwright

Hunt John, farmer, Twyford

Hunt Stephen, grazier & farmer, Twyford

Merefield Wm, beer retailer, Twyford

Miles John, grazier & farmer, Crockers farm

Painter Edwd, brewer & timber merchant

Painter William, 'Abbey Arms'

Perham Robert, farmer, Twyford

Pinney George, shoemaker

Pinney John, shoemaker

Read John, cowkeeper, Twyford

Spinney Robert, smith

Young John, farmer

 

Letters through Shaftesbury, which is also the nearest money order office.

Coach through to Blandford & Wimborne, Monday, Wednesday & Friday.

Coach through from Blandford to Shaftesbury & Bath, Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday.

 

 

Post Office Directory 1859

 

Compton Abbas is a small parish 3 miles south from Shaftesbury, and 9 miles north from Blandford, in Sixpenny Handley Hundred, West Shaston Division, in the Union and parliamentary borough of Shaftesbury, archdeaconry of Dorset, diocese of Salisbury and deanery of Bridport, seated at the foot of the Melbury hills, where stands the ancient church (St. Mary's) of Gothic structure, which consists of a chancel, nave and side aisle and 3 bells; date of register 1650. The living is a rectory, annual value £207, with residence, in the gift of Sir Richard Plumtre Glyn and held by the Rev. William Samler Hadley M.A. Sir R.P.Glyn is lord of the manor. Population 465; acreage 1516. Here is a barrow. Here is a spacious school, in which boys and girls are taught on the Pestalozzian system; Mrs Augusta Spinney, mistress.

 

Twyford is a hamlet 2 miles west; Bereknap 1½ miles west; Crockers 2½ miles west; West Compton half a mile west.

 

Hadley Rev. Wm Samler M.A. (rector)

Applin Joseph, farmer

Baker John, parish clerk

Baker Thomas, farmer, Twyford

Beale John, farmer, Twyford

Dibben William, farmer, Twyford

Feltham Abel, farmer

Feltham John, farmer

Hannan John, farmer

Horder John, farmer

Horder Thos, carpenter & wheelwright

Horder William, shopkeeper

Hunt Stephen, grazier & farmer, Twyford

Merefield Nehemiah, carrier

Merefield Wm, beer retailer, Twyford

Miles John, grazier & farmer, Crockers farm

Oliver John, shoemaker

Painter William, farmer

Painter William, Glyn Arms

Parham Robert, farmer, Twyford

Pinney George, shoemaker

Pinney John, shoemaker

Read Joseph, cheesemonger, Twyford

Ryall Reuben, gardener

Spinney Robert, smith

Tapper William, jun, farmer

Young John, farmer

 

Letters through Shaftesbury, which is also the nearest money order office.

Omnibus through from Blandford to Shaftesbury, daily, returning same day

 

Post Office Directory 1875

 

Compton Abbas is a parish in the petty sessional division of West Shaston, union, county court district and parliamentary borough of Shaftesbury, hundred of Sixpenny Handley, rural deanery of Bridport, archdeaconry of Dorset, and diocese of Salisbury, seated at the foot of the Melbury hills, 3 miles south from Shaftesbury and 9 north from Blandford. The church of St. Mary has been rebuilt, and was opened in 1868: it is of stone, and consists of apsidal chancel, nave, north aisle and south porch: the nave is divided from the aisle by two fine arches springing from a cylindrical pier: it has square tower containing 4 bells: it is paved with encaustic tiles and seated with open benches. The register dates from 1650. The living is a rectory, gross yearly value £350, with residence, in the gift of Sir Richard George Glyn, bart., and held by the Rev. Percival Hart Dyke M.A. of Christ Church, Oxford. Here is a spacious National school, supported by Sir R.G.Glyn, bart.; also a Wesleyan chapel. Sir R.G.Glyn, bart.,  is lord of the manor and chief landowner. The soil is sand and light loam: subsoil, chalk and stone. The chief crops are wheat, barley, oats and beans. The area is 1516 acres; gross estimated rental £2711; rateable value £2512; and the population in 1871 was 481.

 

Bereknap is a hamlet between Compton Abbas and Twyford, consisting of a few houses, and a small place of worship for Primitive Methodists.

Twyford is a hamlet 2 miles west.

 

Parish Clerk, William Horder

Post Office, Thomas Horder, receiver. Letters through Shaftesbury arrive at 7.30 am; dispatched at 4.20 pm on weekdays only. The nearest money order office is Shaftesbury.

National School, Miss Amelia Ainsworth, mistress.

 

Mrs Applin

Dyke Rev. Percival Hart M.A. (rector), Rectory

Feltham Abel

Tapper William

 

Baker John, dairyman

Beale Elijah, blacksmith & wood haulier, Twyford

Brockway William, shoemaker

Brown Mary (Mrs), Glyn Arms

Burridge Charles, butcher

Burridge Lot, blacksmith

Chubb John, blacksmith, Twyford

Feltham John, farmer & dairyman

Haskell John George, farmer, Gourds farm

Holloway John Hall, farmer, Manor farm

Horder Henry John, farmer

Horder Thomas, carpenter, builder, wheelwright, & post office

Hunt Stephen, farmer & dairyman, Twyford farm

Longman Emmanuel, farmer, Twyford

Longman John, dairyman, Twyford

Martin Thomas, thatcher, Twyford

Miles John, farmer & dairyman, Twyford

Miles Julia (Mrs), farmer, Crockers farm, Twyford

Miller John, farmer & dairyman, Twyford

Palmer Alfred, cooper

Pinney John, shoemaker

Rose Silas, market gardener

Ryall Reuben, gardener, Twyford

Staples Sylvanus, farmer

Street John, shopkeeper

Tapper William, farmer & dairyman, Burdens farm, Twyford

 

Kelly's Directory 1889

 

Compton Abbas is a parish, seated at the foot of the Melbury hills, 3 miles south from Shaftesbury, 5 ½ miles south from Semley station on the Salisbury and Yeovil branch of the London and South Western railway and 9 north from Blandford, in the Northern division of the county, hundred of Sixpenny Handley, petty sessional division of West Shaftesbury, union and county court district of Shaftesbury, rural deanery of Shaftesbury Sturminster Newton portion, archdeaconry of Dorset and diocese of Salisbury. The church of St. Mary, built and opened in 1867, is of stone, and consists of apsidal chancel, nave, north aisle, south porch and square tower terminating in a spire containing 4 bells: the nave is divided from the aisle by two fine arches springing from cylindrical piers: it is paved with encaustic tiles, and seated with open benches: in the chancel is a brass tablet to the Rev. William S. Hadley M.A. who, as curate and rector, ministered to the parishioners of Compton Abbas for thirty-five years: there are 250 sittings. The register dates from the year 1650. The living is a rectory, gross yearly value £276, net £156, with residence, in the gift of Sir Richard George Glyn, bart., and held since 1871 by the Rev. Percival Hart Dyke M.A. of Christ Church, Oxford. Here is a Wesleyan chapel. Sir R.G.Glyn, bart., is lord of the manor and chief landowner. The soil is sand and light loam: subsoil, chalk and stone. The chief crops are wheat, barley, oats and beans. The area is 1473 acres; rateable value £1915; the population in 1881 was 402.

 

Bereknap is a hamlet between Compton Abbas and Twyford, consisting of a few houses.

Twyford is a hamlet 2 miles west.

 

Parish Clerk, William Horder

Sexton, Alfred Palmer

Post Office, Thomas Horder, receiver. Letters through Shaftesbury arrive 7 am & 4 pm on weekdays and 7 am on sundays; dispatched at 5 pm & 7.40 pm on weekdays & 4.20 on sundays. The nearest money order office is at Fontmell Magna & telegraph offices are Iwerne and Shaftesbury, the former parish being a quarter mile the nearer.

National School, & school house, built in 1849 & a classroom added in 1870, for 100 children; average attendance 48; supported by Sir R.G.Glyn, bart, D.L., J.P.; Miss Letitia Carpenter, mistress; Mrs Louisa Bunne, assistant mistress.

 

Dyke Rev. Percival Hart M.A., Rectory

 

Baker James, coffee tavern & shopkeeper

Barnes James, farmer, Twyford

Barnes James, jun, farmer, Twyford

Burridge Lot, blacksmith

Butt John, farmer & butcher, Tuchers

Garland George, blacksmith

Goldie George, farmer, Manor farm

Goldie William, farmer, Gourds farm

Gray George, farmer, Twyford

Horder Thomas, carpenter & wheelwright, Post office

Lambert Thomas, farmer

Miles Julia (Mrs), farmer, Crockers farm, Twyford

Miller Matilda (Mrs), farmer, Twyford

Mullins Martin, baker & shopkeeper

Pinney John, shoemaker

Sharp John, farmer

Tapper John, farmer, Burdens farm, Twyford

 

Kelly's Directory 1895

 

Description of the parish as in Kelly's 1889 with the additional information:

The living is a rectory, gross yearly value from the rent charge £340; average £252; net income £135, with residence, in the gift of Sir Richard George Glyn, bart., and held since 1871 by the Rev. Percival Hart Dyke M.A. of Christ Church, Oxford, canon and prebendary of Salisbury, and rural dean of Shaftesbury.

 

The area is 1473 acres; rateable value £1825; and the population in 1891 was 299.

 

Twyford is a hamlet 1½  miles west.

Post Office, Thomas Horder, sub-postmaster.

Wall letter box, Twyford, cleared at 5.30 pm weekdays only.

National School, & school house, built in 1849 & a classroom added in 1870, for 100 children; average attendance 39; supported by Sir R.G.Glyn, bart.; Miss Mitchell, mistress.

 

Letters for Twyford delivered from Shaftesbury direct.

 

Dyke Rev. Canon Percival Hart M.A., (rector & rural dean) Rectory

 

Barnes Charles Henry, farmer, Gumms farm, Twyford

Barnes Jem, farmer, Twyford farm

Burridge Lot, blacksmith

Butt John, farmer & butcher, Tuckers

Cross Henry Geo, coffee tavern & shopkeeper

Garland George, blacksmith, Twyford

Goldie George, farmer, Manor farm

Goldie William, farmer, Gourds farm

Gray George, farmer, Twyford

Horder Thomas, carpenter & wheelwright, Post office

Jesse Thomas, shopkeeper

Lambert Thomas, farmer, Willis farm

Miles Julia (Mrs), farmer, Crockers farm, Twyford

Miller Frank, farmer, Twyford

Mullens Martin, shopkeeper

Rideout Henry, boot repairer

Rideout Henry Jn, shopkeeper, Twyford

Sharp Mary Ann (Mrs), farmer, Twyford

Tapper John, farmer, Burdens farm, Twyford

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