England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Winterbourne Steepleton St Michael

The Parish

The parish of Winterbourne Steepleton, one of many villages bearing the Winterbourne name in Dorset, lies in southern Dorset roughly 4 miles west of the county town of Dorchester. Winterbourne Steepleton sits a half mile south of the A35 road which links Dorchester with Bridport astride the B3159 which runs southeast from the A35. Winterbourne Steepleton is a small and compact village withmost properties lying alongside the B3159, it is tucked away in a valley along which a seasonally flowing river, the "winter bourne" flows. Winterbourne Steepleton is surrounded by rolling chalk downland which, at the time of this transcript, would have been the filled with pasture for sheep, today with the davent of modern machinery much has turned to arable with cereals now dominant. Winterbourne Steepleton is drained southeast and then east by that intermittent stream, the South Winterborne, after skirting south of Dorchester it joins the River Frome continuing eastwards to reach Poole Harbour and thus to the English Channel. Winterbourne Steepleton is sited at around 90 metres above the sea in its valley setting, chalk downs rise either side to 171 metres on Knowle Hill to the north whereas the Hardy Monument to the southwest stands at 237 metres the highest local ground. Winterbourne Steepleton was a typically sized parish for this area of the county, covering just under 1,800 acres it would have supported a population of close to 200 parishioners. Winterbourne Steepleton is not mentioned in Domesday Book.

The Church

St Michael's church sits on the northern side of the B3159 together with the rectory and manor house, having a steeple is a rarity in Dorset St Michael being one of only 3 and donates that fact to the village's name. Outwardly the church appears to be a mixture of 12th and 15th century elements but Pevsner forensic eye spots features that dictate the church as being old and dating from the earliest times of stone-built churches. The nave is thus dated to pre-conquest times and probably the first half of the 11th century and shows Saxo-Norman styling shown by 3 of the 4 quoin sets. Both northern and southern walls were substantially rebuilt in the 12th century Norman Romanesque period giving that external appearance, there is a blocked Norman northern doorway and a small similarly aged western window. The western tower dates from the first half of the 14th century, the Decorated period, and carries that "chunky - says Pevsner" spire which is recessed behind a plain parapet. The chancel is later and 15th century Perpendicular  with a chancel arch which was rebuilt during the 18th century. For once Pevsner fails to mention a Victorian restoration so if one occurred it was clearly light and sensitive, Mention must be made of a singular piece of sculpture which is deemed of national if not international importance, the statue of a flying angel possibly dates from the 10th century and is worth a visit on its own. The B3159 is a relatively quiet road and widens outside the churchyard to permit on-street parking. The churchyard is rather hemmed in from most angles with a northern component by trees but most of the southern angles are readily available for the photographer.