England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Tyneham St Mary

The Parish

The parish of Tyneham lies in southeastern Dorset forming an extensive stretch of the county's English Channel coastline. Tyneham is located roughly 6 miles southwest of the market town of Wareham and sits about 3 miles south of the B3070 road that connects Wareham with Lulworth Cove. Tyneham is often referred to as Dorset's "lost village", it and the surrounding countryside were requisitioned by the Army in December 1943 to act as a training ground for D-Day preparations, the land has not been relinquished since and is still used a live firing range. All of the villagers were removed and access restrictions imposed, today, however, a slightly more user-friendly image is taken as access is permitted to a small museum and church most weekends and when firing is not taking place, access which also sees a steady stream of hikers along the South West Coastal Trail which passes through both parish and ranges. At the time of this transcript Tyneham would have earned its income from pastoral farming, sheep grazing the Downs to north and south. Tyneham is drained the short distance southwest by a small stream reaching nearby Worbarrow Bay. Tyneham is sited at around 50 metres above the sea but sits between two ranges of Purbeck hills, chalk to the south reaching 167 metres above Gad Cliff whilst to the north limestone reaches 185 metres on Whiteway Hill. Tyneham parish was large for a southern English parish, most on Purbeck are too, covering a little over 2,800 acres it would have supported a population of around 250 parishioners. In Domesday times Tyneham was shared by no fewer than 4 landholders, the majority in the hands of one Ansketil of Cherbourg, the assets amounted to just 3 ploughs and the usual meadows, pastures & woodland.

The Church

St Mary's church sits a little north of the museum which sits at the end of the only lane leading into the abandoned village. The church is unusual in having a form reminiscent of a Greek Cross, all four "arms" being of roughly equal length. Whilst the church has medieval origins only two wings are early, the nave and northern transept being 13th century and in the Early English Gothic style. The remaining two wings are Victorian rebuilding, the chancel coming first followed by the south transept completed in 1852. The church was once neglected and boarded up but today's more enlightened approach allows periodic visits. Access to the church is at the Army's discretion and is publicised on the web for those interested in a visit.