Abbotsbury
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Abbotsbury,_Dorset_-_Tithe_Barn.jpg
Abbotsbury is a small village in south west Dorset, England, situated on The Fleet under a steep limestone hill, seven miles north west of Wetmouth and seven miles south west of Dorchester. The village has a population of 480 (2001), which has been relatively stable for 50 years. The village is made up entirely of old stone cottages, many of them thatched. The village is a gateway village on the Jurassic Coast, and consequently is a very popular with tourists.
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History
One and a half miles outside the village at the top of the limestone hill is a triangular hill fort, Abbotsbury Castle.
In the 11th century King Canute rewarded the services of Orca, his steward, with land in Abbotsbury, Portesham and Hilton. It's believed there was already a religious community in Abbotsbury, and Orca and his wealthy wife Tola built an Abbey here. The Abbey dominated life in Abbotsbury for 500 years, but was destroyed in the dissolution. The barn survived and is the largest thatched building in the world.
Until the dissolution Abbotsbury would have been one of the most important villages in the county, and the settlement is laid out around a wide market area. After the decline of its monastery Abbotsbury became the quiet village it is today.
In 1664, during the English Civil War, Roundheads and Cavaliers clashed at Abbotsbury. Cavaliers besieged the Roundheads in the church tower of St. Nicholas' church, which still bears the scars of Musket fire.
In the Second World War the Fleet was used as a Machine Gun training range, and Bouncing bombs were tested there.
Places of interest
The village is famous for its swannery, sub-tropical gardens, Abbey and abbey barn, castle, St Catherine's chapel and the nearby Chesil Beach.
The bird sanctuary at Abbotsbury is over 600 years old, and is located on The Fleet, a natural haven for birds. Chesil Beach protects the Fleet and land behind it from storms, erosion and coastal flooding. There is a large colony of Mute Swans at the sanctuary, which is managed but open to the public. The site is an important nesting and breeding ground for the swans, and from May through the summer you can see cygnets at the sanctuary.
The sub-tropical gardens at Abbotsbury were founded in 1765 by the Countess of Ilchester as a kitchen garden for the nearby castle. Since then the gardens have developed into a 20 acre (81,000 m²) site filled with exotic plants, many of which were newly discovered species when they were first introduced. There are formal and informal gardens with woodland walks and walled gardens. In 1990 violent storms damaged many of the rare specimens, which have since been replaced by younger plants.
On 250ft hill above Abbotsbury stands St Catherine's chapel, a small chapel, built entirely of stone. The 14th century chapel overlooks the English Channel, and may have served as a beacon for sailors, warning of the nearby Isle of Portland.
See also
External links
- Dorset Riviera - Photos (http://www.dorsetriviera.com/onlocation/abbotsbury.asp)
- Census data (http://www1.dorsetcc.gov.uk/LIVING/FACTS/Census2001.nsf/6cadf4da179fc19500256663004afece/b6b577fc5a1e740880256ec5004ff4e9?OpenDocument)
- http://www.abbotsbury.co.uk/
- The Dorset Page: Abbotsbury (http://www.thedorsetpage.com/locations/Place/A020.htm)
- Dorset Riviera - Photos (http://www.dorsetriviera.com/onlocation/abbotsbury.asp)
References
- Pitt-Rivers, Michael, 1968. Dorset. London: Faber & Faber.
- Taylor, Christopher, 1970. The Making of the Dorset Landscape. London: Hodder & Stoughton.