West Stour, Dorset

West Stour is a village and civil parish situated in the Blackmore Vale area of North Dorset, England. It is one of a group of villages known as The Stours, located in the River Stour Valley, 5 miles (8.0 km) south of Gillingham. West Stour has a village hall, one public house and a service station on the main A30 road.

West Stour

The Ship Inn, West Stour
West Stour
Location within Dorset
Population200 
OS grid referenceST785226
Unitary authority
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townGillingham
Postcode districtSP8
PoliceDorset
FireDorset and Wiltshire
AmbulanceSouth Western
UK Parliament

West Stour is one of four parishes—the others being East Stour, Stour Provost and Todber—under the governance of The Stours Parish Council.[1] It has a population of about 200.[2]

The nearest railway station is at Gillingham. Trains run on the Exeter to Waterloo line.

History

In 1086 in the Domesday Book two settlements were recorded in the parish: West Stour and Little Kington. The latter remained small but West Stour developed into a village. West Stour's open fields were enclosed in 1779.[3]

St Mary's Church
Interior of St Mary's Church, looking towards the chancel

St Mary's Church, at the north end of Church Street, is a Grade II* listed building.[4]

The chancel dates from the 13th century, with some alterations in the late 18th century. The nave and the tower (south of the nave) were rebuilt in 1840; the rebuilding used the original foundations, and so the chancel is not quite aligned with the nave, being slightly to the south. The stone font is of the 13th century. The tiled floor and seating were fitted in 1912.[3][5]

There are three bells in the tower, one of the late 15th century, the others dated 1635 and 1733.[3]

A commemorative plaque in the north wall records the names of three men from the village – George Beale, Charlie Trim and Tom Wilson – who died in the Great War.[5]

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References
  1. "Welcome to The Stours Parish Council Website". The Stours Parish Council. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  2. About the Stours The Stours Parish Council. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  3. "'West Stour', in An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Dorset, Volume 4, North (London, 1972), pp. 116-117". British History Online. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  4. Church of St Mary: list entry Historic England. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  5. St Mary's West Stour Stour Vale Churches. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
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