England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Frome Vauchurch Parish Church

The Parish

The parish of Frome Vauchurch lies in western central Dorset roughly 7 miles northwest of the county town of Dorchester. Frome Vuachurch is a tiny place, little more than a hamlet which sits a quarter mile west of the A356 road which connects Dorchester through to Crewkerne in Somerset. Frome Vauchurch consists almost totally of a short lane running parallel to the River Frome on its western banks, sitting across and dominating the small settlement is Maiden Newton of which Frome Vauchurch is little more than a satellite settlement. With its riverside setting Frome Vauchurch would have been able to exploit the neighbouring water-meadows for grazing to supplement the normal arable cropping of the area. The Frome drains the parish southeastwards the east to reach the English Channel through the port of Wareham and Poole Harbour. Frome Vauchurch is sited at 100 metres above the sea and outwith its valley setting the area rises 200 metres on the chalk downs above Compton Valence. Frome Vauchurch was one of Dorset's smaller parishes, covering only a little over 600 acres it would have supported a population of just over 150 parishioners. In Domesday time Frome Vauchurch, a holding of William D'eu, was equally modest offering just 3 ploughs, the usual meadows, pastures and woodland but did have a mill.

The Church

Frome Vauchurch's parish church (some sources give a dedication to St Francis) sits almost centrally along the lane and eastward of its between lane & river, In common with many small churches in tiny villages it has ancient origins and has been left largely alone over the centuries, perhaps the money to upgrade was lacking in these smaller communities. As a result we have a church that still is largely Norman 12th century in the majority of its fabric. A modest church, as befits a small settlement, it has nave & chancel topped by a western bellcote, both nave and chancel shows dog-tooth styling characteristic of the Norman Romanesque period. Whilst Pevsner does not detail a Victorian resotration some windows were renewed in that time-frame in an Early English Gothic style. Frome Lane is very narrow so anybody seeking to visit should park well away to prevent blocking this access. The churchyard has a mid-height flint wall with rendering infill and metal gates for entry. As the church is tiny it matters not that the churchyard is equally tiny and presents little challenge to the photographer.