Puddletown

(formerly Piddletown)

	Puddletown is an extensive parish and village on the river Piddle, 5 miles north-east from Dorchester. The use of the name Puddletown rather than Piddletown was officially preserved in the late 1950s, when, according to the broadcaster and writer Ralph Wightman (1901–71), "a long County Council debate solemnly decided Piddletown should be Puddletown". The Church of St Mary is in the Later English style and comprises a chancel, nave, embattled tower. It contains a Norman font and several effigies of the Martin family as well as numerous tombs and brasses. The registers date from 1723. Here is also a Congregational Chapel. The houses are mostly compact and well-built with a few good shops.
A market was held here formerly, but it has been for a long time discontinued. Near Heedless Williams Pond are the remains of a cross. Islington House is a mansion within the parish. The soil is sandy, subsoil chalk, there is much heath and moor land with good shooting. The chief crops are barley, turnips and grass. The area is 7,653 acres and the population in 1871 was 1,249. Waterson, Islington and Northbrook are hamlets within the parish. The village had its own post office, registrar, collector of taxes, police office and schools. The description above is extracted from Kelly's 1880 Directory and the pictures are from old postcards circa 1900-1910 To the east of the church is Ilsington House, also known as the Old Manor, which was built in the late 17th to early 18th century. It was originally owned by the 3rd Earl of Huntingdon and in 1724 by Robert Walpole. Between 1780 and 1830 it was leased to General Thomas Garth, principal equerry to King George III. The General adopted King George III's illegitimate grandson by Princess Sophia, and brought him up at the manor. In 1861 the house was acquired by John Brymer and remained in the possession of the Brymer family for the next century. The family built new cottages and a reading room in the village, and a new manor next to the church, which they restored.
The Online Parish Clerk (OPC) for Puddletown is Glenda Lightowler Resources are gradually being transcribed and will be placed on line when available. Any donations of complete transcriptions are always welcome Please place the words 'OPC Puddletown' as your subject for e-mails
Census	1841 Census 1851 Census [Glenda Lightowler] 1861 Census [Glenda Lightowler] 1871 Census [Christel Muncaster] 1881 Census (Troytown area only) [Glenda Lightowler] 1891 Census
Parish Registers Note. Kelly's Directory states registers date from 1723 but a transcription of marriages done in 1914 dates from 1538.	Baptisms 1738-1772, 1773-1792, 1793-1813, 1813-1830, 1831-1846 from BTs Marriages 1538-1812 from Philimores 1739-1813, 1813-1836, 1839-1845 from BTs Burials 1738-1776, 1777-1813, 1813-1837, 1838-1845 from BTs
Other Records	Monumental Inscriptions Index [Jan Hibberd] Peter Stanley - King of the Gipsies [External]
Postal Directories	Directories for 1865, 1895 & 1935
Wills	The Will of Paul Anthony, 1746
Photographs	Photographs of the Church, cemetery and parish. Also photographs of all the Church Memorials from the interior Photographs and transcriptions of the Memorial Stones in the Churchyard [Jan Hibberd]
Maps
	For a 1920s map of the area click on the thumbnail to the left
	View Larger Map

Records held at the Dorset History Centre [Ref PE-PUD]	Registers Christenings 1546-1641, 1646-1999. Marriages 1538-1615/6, 1646, 1654-2003. Burials 1538-1614, 1623-1644, 1653-1999.
Registration District (for the purpose of civil registration births, marriages & deaths)	1 Jul 1837-30 Jun 1949: Dorchester 1 Jul 1949-31 Mar 1997: Weymouth 1 Apr 1997-30 Sep 2001: South Dorset 1 Oct 2001-17 Oct 2005: South & West Dorset
An Idyllic early 19th century painting of the village	A view of Mill Street pre 1922

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