Welcome to Dorset Allsorts

We'll be posting a variety of facts and photos of whatever takes our fancy as we wander around Dorset. They may be of churches, buildings, visitor attractions or natural scenes – in fact there will be all sorts! We hope they will give you a glimpse of some of the sights this beautiful county has to offer.



Friday 25 February 2011

Milton Abbas


The picture-postcard village of Milton Abbas has a street of thatched cottages that is featured on many an English countryside calendar! 

The original village, known as Middleton, was situated in the valley south of Milton Abbey, but to improve the view from his new mansion, Joseph Damer (later Lord Milton and Earl of Dorchester) acquired all the property leases by fair means and foul, relocated the village and rebuilt it in its present form during the period 1773-80.

Almhouses
The rebuild included the re-erection of the 16th century almshouses opposite the church.
Milton Abbas is considered to be the first planned town or village in Britain.  Sturdy cottages were built on either side of the main street, each with a lawn in front and a chestnut tree in between every house.  Unfortunately these had to be felled some years ago because of disease.


Also in the village is a church, pub and post office (with an unusual grey telephone box!).









2 comments:

  1. Were these pictures actually taken on 25 February 2011 or earlier?

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  2. Hi, I really can't remember when we took the photos but it wouldn't have been too much before Feb 2011.

    Thanks for looking in!

    Nick

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