Churchwarden's Accounts

These survive for the period 1727 to 1917 but have not been transcribed as yet.

From "Along the Winterborne" (by Terry & Margaret Hearing pub 2017 p36), there is a transcription for the year 1728-9 :

The Churchwardens were traditionally elected on the Tuesday after easter each year by a small group of the wealthier householders (known as the Vestry). Landowners paid rates based on sums for their land and buildings. Rates were collected by a churchwarden for the upkeep of the prison in Dorchester, bridge repairs and poor relief.

in 1728, a rate was collected eight times during the year. The rather odd payments for heads of birds, stoats & polecats were a way of minor payments to the poor and these animals were considered vermin that ate crops and seeds. Beer was provided for bell-ringers on the anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot on 5th November each year. Beer was also given out for householders after they assisted in compulsory road mending. (Source - as noted above)