Monument record MDO1650 - Deserted medieval settlement at Heniford Mill, Melbury Bubb

A documentary reference to Humerford in 1288 (Mills 2010) suggests that there may have been a medieval settlement at or in the near vicinity of the present site of Heniford Farm and Mill. Slight earthworks visible on aerial photographs taken by the Royal Air Force in 1947 have been interpreted as the possible remains of boundary banks, but a site visit by an Ordnance Survey Field Investigator in 1977 revealed no certain evidence of medieval settlement.

(ST 605071) Shrunken village remains at Hemford Mill (Heniford Mill) represented by a few slight close banks. <1>

No certain traces of desertion seen at Heniford Mill hamlet. <2>

Mills, A D, 2010, The place-names of Dorset, Part 4, 210 (Monograph). SDO13907.

<1> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, RCHM Ms File (unpublished revision of Dorset 1), 22-9-76 (Unpublished document). SDO17382.

<1.1> Royal Air Force, 11-APR-1947, RAF CPE/UK/1975 2055-6 (Aerial Photograph). SDO17402.

<2> Phillips, A S, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigator's Comments ASP, F1 ASP 27-OCT-77 (Unpublished document). SWX3817.

<3> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, Externally held archive: RCH01/088 RCHME Inventory: Dorset I (West) and Revision (Unpublished document). SDO17367.

<4> Historic England, National Record of the Historic Environment, 198858 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Aug 11 2026 4:37PM