Village Buildings
Note : Information has been extracted from Listed Building details, RCHM and a Draft Conservation Area Appraisal c2008/9 ? (compiled by an old school friend John Wykes for the former WDDC)
The buildings are in no particular order at present !
Jasmine, Laburnum and Lilac Cottages
A row of three mid C19th estate cottages on the north side of the road nearly opposite the pub. They all have dressed stone walls and Ham stone string courses and dressings under clay tile roofs.
Listed Grade II
Old Post Office Listed Grade II
Two attached C17th cottages on south side of main road. They have banded flint and stone walls with two small front facing gables. Slated roofs with brick stacks at each end. Stone mullion windows at east cottage (old post office).
The Post Office used to be west of Church View before moving across the road to this site. Earlier, The Coach & Horses Inn was a post house where post coaches would drop and collect mail. In 1851, Hunt's Directory listed the PO at Thomas Browns (Post Master). Mrs Ann Rolls continued to run the PO from 1855 to c1881. Her son, Richard Rolls with his wife Elizabeth ran the PO until 1911. (Census Entry)
Old Chapel
This former Baptist Chapel was built in 1872 (date on front elevation) - it has now been converted as a dwelling.
Wherry Cottage
Attached late C17th cottage probably heightened in C18th on south side of main road. Neat knapped Flint and dressed stone banded walls under thatch roof. Brick stacks at each end. The building was formerly the Vicarage and Parish Room.
Listed Grade II
Along with the Old Post Office cottages, Wherry Cottage is the oldest surviving building in the village with the exception of the church.
The Pottery : A former barn attached to east side of Wherry Cottage now converted to a dwelling. It is not known Was it a pottery once (see below)
< Left : A pot made by John Warren at the pottery in Winterbourne Abbas.
It is not known when the pottery ceased to operate from this site.
Found on line and submitted by Tony Hancox of Wherry Cottage (Jan 2022)
Winterbourne Valley 1st School
The present village school is on the south side of the main road at the east end of the village and dates from late C19th. It has many modern extensions including a large hall on the west side and a large entrance area on the front elevation which hides the original brick faced elevation. The school is fortunately thriving now due to new housing in the village.
In 1976, Martinstown school closed & the 35 children were transferred to Abbas where £10,000 had been spent on refurbishment. There were protests in Martinstown but annual savings were estimated as £3500+. Free transport was laid on. The small school in Steepleton (part of the Old Rectory) had closed much earlier in 1911.
Above : School viewed from north side of the road (Photo RC Feb 2021)
< Left : The original "T" shaped Victorian brick built school building had a gable facing the road and first appears in this form on the 1887 OS map. A gablet at the apex of the main front gable probably contained the original school bell
An earlier school in the village is now the "School House" semi detached with Myrtle Cottage. This school seems to have been a single large room lit by large windows and probably sub divided bt internal partitions.
(Source : John Wykes - Report for WDDC c2008)
Note : Kelly's Directory of 1891 notes that the children of Abbas attend Winterbourne Steepleton school. There was a school in the grounds of the Rectory (Now the Old Rectory) - the building adjoining the stream on the left hand side of the entrance. Now converted to a dwelling "Old School".
The Smithy
The village blacksmith workshop is shown on the 1887 OS map above next to the school at the east end of the village. There was a Reading Room adjoining and the site is now occupied by The White House and Blacksmith's Cottage. No early photographs found as yet.
List of Blacksmiths recorded in village parish registers & PO Directory
George Richards : Militia List of 1796 - listed as blacksmith.
George Richards 1813-1854 (1854 Farmer as well); (Baptisms) + 1859 PO Directory Blacksmith & farmer
George Bonnel 1834-1838 (Baptisms)
Samuel Warren 1859 PO Directory - Coach & Horses Inn + wheelwright + blacksmith
William Northover 1866 (Marriages)
James Stickland 1872-1874 (Baptisms & Marriages)
James Hartnell 1876-1889 (Baptisms) + 1875 in PO Directory blacksmith & carrier
Jesse Mitchem (Baptisms) 1896-1904
Below : The site March 2021 : (formerly the site of the Reading Room and Smithy).
(Left) The White House : A post WW2 painted former Police House now a private dwelling.
(Right) Blacksmith's Piece
Bridehead Lodge
This small lodge is located on the south side of the A35 trunk road about a mile west of the village. It was on the original entrance driveway to Bridehead House in Littlebredy about 1.5 miles to the SW.
It was originally a single storey building with Portland stone ashlar walls under a slated roof. It was built c1837 for the Williams family of Bridehead and designed by P F Robinson in a castellated style similar to Bridehead itself. It has a square floor plan with projecting angles with miniature turrets with blind cross loops & arrow slits. A rear extension of two low storeys was added in the late C19th. Listed Grade II
The 1851 Census records (63 year old) widow Ann Samways occupying the Lodge with her daughter Mary aged 28. The Census of 1881 records John Hicks and his wife Maria as living there.
< Left : The long drive to Bridehead House in Littlebredy from the Lodge originally built in 1837 to connect with the new Turnpike Road (now A35). The drive passes by another Lodge located on the top of the hill to the north side of the house.
Note : More village buildings can be found below the larger village pub details
The Village Pub
Now the "Coach House Inn" and fortunately now owned and run by a professional set up. Renovated and opened just before the first Covid lockdown of March 2020.
Formerly the "Coach & Horses" since at least the early 1800's. It was a coaching inn that probably developed on the new turnpike road that was built through the village. (Photo RC Dec 2020)
Some records, Landlords / Innkeepers in date order :
1808 - A public auction sale by the Commissioner appointed for Inclosing Winterbourne Down was held at the "Coach & Horses Inn on 27th September 1808
1814 - The Inn is noted in the bankrupty proceedings of Joseph Hawkins of Radipole nr Weymouth.
1834 - 1838 : John Foss recorded in baptisms as Innkeeper
1841 & 1845 - John Purkis recorded in baptisms as Innkeeper
1851 - Census : Landlord John Purkis aged 46, wife Elizabeth aged 46 & two children. Also recorded child baptised 1851. There were Fred Hopkins aged 42 employed as the ostler & Jane Hardy aged 23 employed as a servant.
1855 - Post Office Directory : John Purkis listed as landlord and the inn noted as a "posthouse". This allowed post to be picked up and dropped off by stage coaches before a postal service was fully developed.
1859 - Samuel Warren recorded as landlord - he also traded as a blacksmith & wheelwright
1875 - John Thomas Warren, son of Samuel, noted as landlord.
1876 - November : The Inn was noted in the Times newsletter in connection with poaching and a murder near Yeovil - the two suspects had been seen in the Inn but were not apprended there.
1885 - 1887 : John Daw recorded in baptisms as Innkeeper
1881 - Census : Landlord John Daw aged 36 also listed as a farmer with 40 acres. Wife Sarah aged 37 and 3 small children.
1889 - PO Directory Landlord John Daw
1891 - Census :
1895 - PO Directory Landlord John Daw
1895 - 22nd February - Destruction by fire of the Coach & Horses (see newspaper cutting below). The owner is stated to be local barrister Mr R H Simmonds who lets the Inn to Devenish Brewery of Weymouth. They in turn sub let it to Mr John Daw. The "Davis steamer" (a steam driven water pump / fire engine) was used to put the fire out but it appears that the Inn was totally destroyed ? Rebuilding ?? This obviously caused John Daw to leave the Inn and presumably he moved elsewhere ?
1896 - Samuel Daw recorded in baptisms as Innkeeper (presumably related to John Daw.)
1900 - Sam House recorded in baptisms as Innkeeper
1901 - Census : Samuel House (with wife and infant son) Farmer & Innkeeper
c1910 - Photograph that was in the pub in 2003 : Devenish Pub with George House as the landlord. He also owned the adjoining Butt Farm (now Butt Farm Close (Source : Pure Dorset April 2003 p29 - Article by county archaeologist Steve Wallis) Note Should this be Samuel House as 1901 record above?
A Devenish (Weymouth Brewery Pub) until Devenish taken over ??
2012 - Refurbishment by tenants but short lived
Period of being empty times ???
2020 March : After a major high quality refurbishment by the new owners, the pub reopened as the Coach House Inn shortly before the first covid lockdown.
2022 : The Coach House Inn is now thriving !
Below : Fire - Friday 22nd February 1895
Above : The former Coach & Horses signboard
(photo : Trish Steel - Wikimedia Commons August 2009)
Other Village Buildings :
Hadley Lodge : Dating from mid C19th with walls of flint and brown brick banding with orange brick cambered lintels over the openings. Two storey bay windows with saw tooth corbelling at eaves level under slate roof. Windows have been replaced. Chimney stacks have unusual square tapered pots with sunken panels.
< Left : Hadley Lodge - view from south side of road.
Right : School House (LH)
Myrtle Cottage (RH)
(Photos RC 032021)
School House & Myrtle Cottage : Dating from mid C19th, a semi detached pair at an angle to the road with stone and flint ground floor walls. The first floor walls have been heightened with stone rubble walling. The 1840 Tithe Map (lot 13 - see below) lists this terrace as Poor Lot housing owned by the churchwardens. An early photograph (centre) shows the original thatched roof and a later photograph (right) shows the heightened first floor and a new roof. It is not known whether the 1840 Poor Lot terrace was demolished or altered ? As the building was owned by the church, this may be why it became the School House. See present day view above.
Cherry Tree Cottages : Late C19th semi-detached estate cottages with porches, rendered walling with tiled hipped roof and central chimney stack.
Church View & Roseleigh & Church View :
In Manor Farm Lane, on north side of main road, unusual three storeyed pair of cottgaes dating from early / mid C19th (on 1840 Tithe Map) with flint and stone banded walls, brick dressings under a slate roof
Rolls Cottage : In Manor Farm Lane, on north side of main road. A detached late C19th cottage with flint, stone and brick walling with hipped roof and rear chimney stack. The Rolls family are recorded in the parish registers.
Manor Farm Cottages : Perhaps built as "tied cottgaes" for farm workers ?
Manor Farmhouse :
The Farmhouse is a large Victorian stone and flint built house with a hipped tiled roof with a datestone "1890" although this probably refers to a major renovation as a building of similar size appears on the 1840 Tithe Map. Sited at the rear of the Manor Farm Yard and although now gated, Manor Farm Lane was once the main access to this farmhouse.
Whitefrairs : Now divided into several apartments, a late C19th large house with central porched entrance, two storeys with dormers with a rear service wing at right angles to main building. The walling is a mixture of rubble faced Portland Stone, orange tile hanging and replica half timber with rendered infilling. There are large chimney stacks with elaborate octagonal pots, gables and a canted bay with hipped roof over. This building may be a refurbishment of an earlier one of similar size and footprint that appears on the 1840 Tithe Map.
Below Left : View from roadside March 2021 Centre : Early photo view c1900 ? Right : Front elevation
Churchview : Early C19th large detached house with roof dormers used as the village shop at one time (dates ??). Front elevation has unusual orange-red brickwork in Flemish bond with glazed headers. Flint and brick banding to gables and a clay tiled mansard type roof with dormers.
Below Left : c1930's ? Then a shop or store Centre : Same view in March 2021. Right : Closer view March 2021
The Grange : Early / mid C19th large detached house with stone and flint banded walling under clay tiled roof. A large gable end faces the road with two ground floor bay windows and a central canted oriel window over the porch. Originally had timber vertical sash type windows.
Below - Left : March 2021 Right : C1900 ? from early photo.
Grange Cottages :
These cottages date from the late C19th with stone walls under a slate roof with central brick chimney stack.
See also Farms for more detail on both these ^v
Butt Farm Close Cottages :
Butt Close Farm Cottages date from the late C19th and have flint and brick banded walls with first floor windows set into gablets under a tiled roof.
The Little Chef
This former roadside restaurant was originally opened in about 1970 on the south side of the A35 trunk road at the extreme west end of the village. The nationwide chain was owned by the hotel group Forte and in this case, like many others, they simply bought an existing business and converted it to their in house style. It was a busy site and as such, avoided a large number of closures between 2002 and 2012.
In 2012, it was given the "Heston Blumenthal" refurbishment but the group was bought out by the EG Group in 2017 who promptly shut all Little Chefs due to the brand rights expiring. The Abbas site closed immediately due to the lease also expiring.
The site is now home to "The Dorchester Collection" a well known local car sales business. The existing building has been refurbishment and enlarged to suit its new role.
