Winterbourne Steepleton is a village and
civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties, or their combined form, the unitary authorit ...
in south west
Dorset
Dorset ( ; archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the unitary authority areas of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and Dorset. Covering an area of , ...
,
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
, situated in a
winterbourne valley
A valley is an elongated low area often running between hills or mountains, which will typically contain a river or stream running from one end to the other. Most valleys are formed by erosion of the land surface by rivers or streams ove ...
west of
Dorchester, next to the village of
Winterbourne Abbas
Winterborne Abbas is a village and civil parish in south west Dorset, England, situated in a valley on the A35 road west of Dorchester. In the 2011 census the parish had a population of 355.
The village
Winterbourne Abbas is a pleasant rural ...
. The name of the village derives from its site next to a seasonal winterbourne stream and from having a stone church
steeple
In architecture, a steeple is a tall tower on a building, topped by a spire and often incorporating a belfry and other components. Steeples are very common on Christian churches and cathedrals and the use of the term generally connotes a religi ...
[''Dorset'', Frank R. Heath, Methuen & Co. Ltd., London, Sixth Ed. (revised), 1922.] - one of only three
medieval
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...
stone spires in the county (the others being at
Iwerne Minster
Iwerne Minster ( ) is a village and civil parish in Dorset, England. It lies on the edge of the Blackmore Vale, approximately midway between the towns of Shaftesbury and Blandford Forum. The A350 main road between those towns passes through th ...
and
Trent
Trent may refer to:
Places Italy
* Trento in northern Italy, site of the Council of Trent United Kingdom
* Trent, Dorset, England, United Kingdom Germany
* Trent, Germany, a municipality on the island of Rügen United States
* Trent, California, ...
).
In the
2011 census the parish had a population of 297.
[
]
The village
Winterbourne Steepleton is a rural village set back from the main road. Notable buildings include Steepleton Manor, a large house built of Portland stone dating from 1870 and replacing a previous building. Close by is the thatched Manor Cottage, built in the 16th century, and Manor Farm, dating from the 17th century or earlier. Close to the east end of the parish church is the 17th century Mill House, built of stone and brick.
The church
The parish church, dedicated to St Michael
Michael (; he, מִיכָאֵל, lit=Who is like El od, translit=Mīḵāʾēl; el, Μιχαήλ, translit=Mikhaḗl; la, Michahel; ar, ميخائيل ، مِيكَالَ ، ميكائيل, translit=Mīkāʾīl, Mīkāl, Mīkhāʾīl), also ...
, dates mostly from the 12th and 13th centuries, although the nave has Saxon elements and the tower and porch are 14th-century addition.[ It is a Grade I ]listed building
In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...
, having been inscribed in the register on 26 January 1956. The west tower, nave, chancel and south porch are built of rubble-stone with dressings of stone from Ham Hill, Somerset
Ham Hill is a geological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Scheduled Ancient Monument, Iron Age hill fort, Roman site, Local Nature Reserve and country park, to the west of Yeovil in Somerset, England.
The hill has given its name to ...
. The roofs are slated. The tower has three stages with buttresses to the lower two, and is topped by a plain parapet. The spire was added in the 18th century and is octagonal with pinnacles at the corners. Several of the windows date from the 15th century and have pairs of cinque-foiled lights with vertical tracery between.
References
External links
Winterbourne Steepleton OPC (Online Parish Clerk)
{{authority control
Villages in Dorset