Place record MDO47280 - Bebingmynster or Beaminster

Medieval town. A market and fair were held in 1285 and Beaminster became a minor trading centre. The town may have been comparable in size to Blandford, Corfe or Wareham. Beaminster was called Bebingmynster in 862. Place name evidence and historic documents suggest that Beaminster was an early minster.

Beaminster was called Bebingmynster in 862, meaning `a church associated with a woman named Bebbe'. Perhaps she was the founder of the church. It is almost certain that Beaminster had a minster, and that it was founded at an early date. It is mentioned in a list of benefactions to Gloucester Abbey dated 1382x1412. This list probably dates to the 9th century. The list, and place-name evidence, suggests that Beaminster was an early minster, although later records show that Netherbury was the dominant church. <1-2>

Beaminster probably remained a small but thriving place in Medieval times; the present church dates from the 13th century, and in 1285 a market and fair had been recently granted to the prebend William Ewel. This probably refers to market grants of 1244-5 and 1284.

The lay subsidy of 1332 recorded 49 people paying 60s 10d, suggesting a populous manor but with no wealthy individuals. Beaminster was probably a minor trading centre. It is likely that the Fullers Earthy clay was exploited in the cloth industry.

A rent roll of 1472-3 for 'secunda' shows East Street to have been a large 'suburb' of circa 60 houses and over 100 householders. This may suggest a town comparable in size to Blandford, Corfe or Wareham. <3>

Royal Commission on Historical Monuments England, 1952, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume I (West), 17-27 (Monograph). SDO97.

<1> Mills, A D, 1986, Dorset Place-names, 33 (Monograph). SDO17940.

<2> Aston, Michael, and Lewis, Carenza (eds), 1994, The medieval landscape of Wessex, 53 (Monograph). SWX1296.

<3> Penn, K J, 1980, Historic Towns in Dorset, 15-18 (Monograph). SWX1202.

<4> National Record of the Historic Environment, 897338 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

<5> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1113933 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Feb 18 2025 2:20PM