Monument record MDO2193 - Settlement of Cheselbourne Ford, Puddletown

SY 771963. The site of the Medieval settlement of Cheselbourne Ford lies in the extreme north-east of Puddletown parish, on the west side of Devil's Brook. It had a recorded population of six in 1086, and of four in 1327. In 1512 the settlement paid a subsidy of only 9s 8d., and by lthe middle of the 17th century only one house is recorded, and even that was in ruins. The site was destroyed in 1965; before that the remains covered 14 acres and consisted of ten rectangular closes along the edge of the brook. They were up to 150 yards long by 40 yards wide, bounded by banks 1 1/2 feet to 2 feet high and 15 feet wide. Disturbed areas at the lower ends indicated former house sites, and there were slight traces of other possible closes to the north. <1>

Enclosures visible on air photographs, as described by RCHM. <2>

No remains - ploughed out. <3>

<1> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume III (Central) Part 2, 230 (Monograph). SDO136.

‘(23) Settlement Remains (771963) of Cheselbourne Ford lie in the extreme N.E. of the parish, on the W. side of Devil’s Brook.

The settlement had a recorded population of six in 1086 (D.B. Vol. I., f. 83b) and of four in 1327. By the early 16th century the population must have been very small indeed for in 1512 the settlement paid a subsidy of only 9s. 8d., little more than half the amount paid by Bardolfeston which then was almost deserted (S. & D., N. & Q., III (1892-3), 193). By the middle of the 17th century only one house is recorded (Meekings, 12), and even that was in ruins (Hutchins II, 617).

The remains cover 14 acres and consist of a line of ten rectangular closes along the edge of the brook; they are up to 150 yds. long and 40 yds. wide and are bounded by banks 1½ ft. to 2 ft. high and 15 ft. wide. Disturbed areas at the lower ends indicate former house-sites. There are slight traces of other possible closes to the N. (Destroyed, 1965).’

<1.1> Meekings, C A F, 1951, Dorset hearth tax assessments, 1662-1664 (Rawlinson mss B. 292-296 in theBodleian Library) (Monograph). SDO19951.

<1.2> Shipp, W, and Hodson, J W (eds), 1863, The History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset. 3rd edition. Volume 2, 617 (Monograph). SWX1269.

<2> Royal Air Force, RAF/CPE/UK/1934 4110 (Aerial Photograph). SDO20155.

<4> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1994, Medieval Village Research Group Index, PRN 481 (Index). SDO16386.

<5> National Record of the Historic Environment, 454634 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

<5> Barton, J G, Various, Field Investigators Comments JGB, F1 JGB 20-OCT-80 (Unpublished document). SDO11900.

Record last edited

Sep 22 2023 11:51AM