The Village Name

There are two Winterborne rivers in Dorset, this South Winterborne is a tributary of the River Frome and ultimately flows to the sea in Poole harbour some 30 miles to the east. The name means a winter stream - one that flows most strongly in winter and derives from the old English   winter-burna.  

It emerges west of Winterbourne Abbas and has several springs that supplement its water supply. In medieval times, it was sometimes known as Watreleswyntreburn  from OE waeter-leas = waterless .

See also Doomsday : link

Later, the first recordings of the village name appear as :

 Winceburnan in 987 (C13th copy of a Saxon charter);  Wynterburn Abbatis in 1244;       Wynterburn Abbots in 1297;       

Abbas - the addition of the Latin abbas (abbot) was due to the manor belonging to the Abbey of Cerne (Cerne Abbas). The manor was granted to the Abbey in 872 from Ethelmer, son of Ethelward, a nobleman of King Ethelred and remained in its possession until the Dissolution of the Monasteries by Henry VIII in the 1540's.

Winterbourne Abbas and Winterbourne Steepleton are the only two "Winterbourne" parishes in Dorset to use "u" in the spelling of their name. The reason is not known.  

Early History

For detailed information please use the link below to the British Archaeological sites, Ancient History and Archaeology, Historical Places, Metal Detecting finds & Archaeological Distribution Maps within 3km of the church in Winterbourne Steepleton :

 http://www.archiuk.com/cgi-bin/web-archi.pl?

Please also use this link to the Pre-historic sites page - there were some 44 barrows in the parish along with standing stones and a stone circle.

Roman Period : There does not appear to be any Roman settlements or remains in the parish. The north boundary of the parish is the former Roman Road that ran from Dorchester to Exeter.  

Saxon Period : See map below

Below : The Doomsday Survey of 1086 AD records Winterbourne Abbas in the Eggardon Hundred