Tarrant Gunville

Above : Aldwell's Cranborne Chase map of 1618 shows a mill to the south of Stubhampton but this does not appear on Taylor's map of 1765.

Ogilby 1675

Taylor 1765

Tithe Map (1840) Windmill piece (Ref 274)

1st Edition OS map Windmill Plantation (below)

Present OS map

Google Maps :

The Windmill

The Millers

Present site condition

Notes and comments

This village is on a winterborne stream (which often runs dry in summer) in the narrow Tarrant valley approximately 5 miles north east of Blandford. A past windmill site occurs to the west of the village just south of the road over Gunville Down. The site is on the east side of the highest area of the down. The windmill was probably built to overcome the drying out of the river.

The manor was owned by the powerful Clare family with their main tenants being the De Gundeville (related to Glanvilles ?? - early windmill promoters elsewhere)

It is shown on Aldwell's Cranborne Chase map of 1618 to the south of Stubhampton but does not appear on Taylor's map of 1765.

The Tithe Apportionment map records the arable land known as Windmill piece (Ref 274) in the area of ST 910 127 whereas the 1st edition OS map indicates Windmill Plantation but in the area of ST 912 127.

To the north east of the present village there is a modern windpump symbol on the 1" OS map on Main Down ...... does this still exist ??

The present day OS map shows "Windmill Cottage" on the site of Windmill Plantation immediately to the east of Westbury Farm.