Monument record MDO4123 - Medieval settlement of Steepleton Iwerne, Iwerne Stepleton

Deserted settlement possibly situated near the church in the grounds of Stepleton House. The settlement was deserted by 1662, no traces now survive.

Steepleton Iwerne (ST 863112). Attributed to Earl of Ilchester's depopulation. <3>

In Domesday the manor is called 'Werne' and the modern parish is apparently of the same area. The manor was probably bisected by the E.-W. lane, N & S of which would have been the arable fields if the manor was worked on a two field system. Where the lane split at the E. part of the parish, and E of this bifurcation, would be the pasture area. This area conforms to the Domesday measurements and the present woodland area also conforms in size to the old one. There is no village here now, and the construction of a mansion and park has evidently obliterated many of the features. The present Blandford - Shaftesbury Road has been diverted to run round the park, though the earlier course continues as a drive through the park. <3>
The manor was held by the Stepleton family in the 13th century and about the time of Henry VI it passed to the Daccombs. In the first part of the 17th century it was purchased by Sir Wm. Pitt. <1-2>

Area centred at ST 86181124. There are no visible remains of the Medieval village, but the church (ST 81 SE 53) which contains some possibly Norman work, is reasonable evidence of a hamlet or village in the vicinity. Under the normal practice this would be alongside or near the River Iwerne, to the west of the church, and it is this area which has been laid out with ornamental gardens and an artificial lake. <4>

Steepleton Iwerne (ST 862112) 'Reduced to church and mansion'. <5>

The village of Iwerne Stepleton (or Stepleton Iwerne) almost certainly stood near the church (see ST 81 SE 53) but it was deserted by 1662. No traces of the village now remain visible and the site is now occupied by Stepleton House and gardens. <6>

<1> Hutchins, J, 1861, The History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset. Volume 1. 3rd edition, 298-99, 301 (Monograph). SDO12569.

<2> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1948, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1947, 46-49 (Serial). SDO47.

<3> Beresford M, 02-SEP-52, Letters and Notes (Unpublished document). SDO17593.

<4> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F1 NVQ 03-JAN-56 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<5> Beresford, M, 1963, Lost Villages of England, 347 (Monograph). SDO18672.

<6> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume III (Central) Part 2, 132 (Monograph). SDO136.

<7> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1994, Medieval Village Research Group Index, PRN 513 (Index). SDO16386.

<8> National Record of the Historic Environment, 206137 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Oct 14 2022 10:28AM