Compton Abbas

Compton Abbas is a small parish of 1450 acres, lying across the chalk escarpment 2½ miles south of Shaftesbury. The center of the parish is a deep valley bounded on north, east and south by scarps 300 ft high. In the west the land inclines gently to the Twyford brook. The twin villages of East and West Compton probably represent original settlements and still feature thatched cottages built of greenstone. Twyford and Crockers Farm appear to be secondary settlements.

Photograph courtesy Richard Derrick © 2000

The parish used to be served by an ancient church which is now a ruin with only the 15th century tower remaining. The parish church of St. Mary near the centre of West Compton was built in 1866 and fittings from the former church at East Compton were transferred to it. The church registers date from 1650. There was also a Wesleyan chapel. The soil is sand and light loam and during the 19th century the chief crops were corn and pasture, the area is 1473 acres. In 1861 the population was 456, and in 1891 had fallen to 299.

The Online Parish Clerk (OPC) for Compton Abbas is Susan Stead

You may contact her by e-mail if you have further queries. 
Please put 'OPC Compton Abbas' as your subject line for e-mails