England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Nether Compton St Nicholas

The Parish

The parish of Nether Compton lies in the extreme north of Dorset, it once formed s stretch of the county's border with neighbouring Somerset until Trent parish was transferred to Dorset. Nether Compton is located roughly midway between Yeovil in Somerset and Sherborne being roughly 3 miles east of the former and 3 west of the latter. Nether Compton sits a half mile north of the A30 road which the two. Nether Compton is part of a joint settlement with both Over Compton and Stallen, it sits within valley set into the escarpment formed by Jurassic limestones, the other settlements sits above on the firmer rocks. A small brook springs from the head of the valley and most properties line lane parallel to that stream's flow. Nether Compton would have primarily been a pastoral farming settlement, sheep grazing the steep slopes of the escarpment whilst cattle grazed the pastures of the Trent Brook & River Yeo. Modern developments just creep into the parish with the railway line from Yeovil to Castle Cary passing through beside the Yeo. Nether Compton is drained by the combination of Trent Brook and the Yeo which heads off first north and then northwest to meet the Parrett, cross the Somerset Levels and reach the outer Bristol Channel. Nether Compton is sited at around 40 metres above the sea with its sister settlement of Over Compton some 30 metres higher and the escarpment top at 149 metres on nearby Charlock Hill, the local high-point. Nether Compton was one of the smaller parish of Dorset covering only 892 acres which would have supported a population of close to 450 parishioners. In Domesday Book both Over & Nether Compton were recorded as a single entity held by the Bishop of Salisbury, even combined their assets amounted to just 6 ploughs, typical meadows & woodland and a mill.

The Church

St Nicholas' church sits towards the southern end of the village south of the green and the majority of the attractive stone-built cottages that mark out this small village. Three ages are found within the church with the oldest fabric dating from the 13th century, a partial rebuild of the 15th and a heavy restoration from the 19th century. The main body of the church, both nave and chancel, have their origins in the 13th century Early English Gothic era, the chancel retains a single characteristic lancet window. Contemporary with the nave and chancel is the southern porch. The late 15th century saw a substantial alteration to the church, for the main body this amounted to replacing the original windows with Perpendicular styled replacements, the chancel was enlarged and a new 15th century east window added. The major work, however, was the construction of today's western tower complete with its battlemented parapet, corner pinnacles and northern stair turret. The church received a thorough restoration, termed "heavy" by Pevsner, in 1886 although full details are not given. South of the churchyard the lane passing is of adequate width for safe on-street parking. The best views of the western tower are actually from the lane as the tower sits close to the western boundary of the churchyard, the remainder of the churchyard is open and uncluttered with no difficulties whatsoever for the photographer.