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Maiden
Newton is a large chalk stream village on the A356 just
over 7 miles north of Dorchester. It straddles the
River Frome and lies in the heart of the Dorset chalk lands.
Near the end
of the 18th century, some tessellated pavement from Roman
times was found on the southern edge of the parish,
indicating that there were early settlements in the area.
Portrayed amongst other things - Neptune in conflict with a
sea monster. However, only record of Maiden Newton the
Domesday Book mentions is having two watermills, so
presumably there was little else here in the 11th century.
Maiden Newton was once a market town and the market cross
can be found at the junction of Dorchester Road and Church
Road and dates from the 15th century. There are also several
old stone houses in the village.
The parish
church of St Mary is mainly Norman and medieval but the
blocked off Saxon doorway is said to be one of the oldest in
the country. Damage caused by musket fire during the English
Civil War can still be seen on the walls of the church.
Remarkably the church also bears bullet holes from hundreds
of years later from a German aircraft during the Second
World War which penetrated the window above the alter.
During the Civil War King Charles stayed in the rectory in
the village. In 1952 Queen Elizabeth II spent the night in
the royal train in Maiden Newton prior to a visit to the
West Country.
Although the
stop was supposed to be a secret, the Parish Council
obtained permission to present the Queen with an Address of
Welcome.
Thomas Hardy’s
name for the town was Chalknewton and he described the local
coaching inn (now rebuilt) in his novel, “Tess of the
D’Urbevilles”.
There used to be also
a railway line to Bridport
and the old track is now a nature walk through the water
meadows.
Many varieties of down land flowers, butterflies and birds
such as dippers and kingfishers are found in this habitat.
Otters may also be spotted on the river. A moth new to
England, the Blairs Wainscot, was discovered here in 1997.
The more
popular use of the motor car in years following the Second
World War meant the loss of the Bank, Butcher's, carpet
factory and a dairy plant. Although this has been balanced
to an extent due to the growth of Maiden Newton Service
Station, the Industrial Estate, new Primary School, Doctor's
surgery and village hall.
Today the
village has a population of over a thousand. |
