Briantspuddle
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Briantspuddle is a village in Dorset, England situated within the Piddle Valley near to the villages of Affpuddle, Tolpuddle and Puddletown and approximately eight miles east of the county town of Dorchester. The village has a population of around 200 and contains a shop/Post Office, village hall and social club.
The village takes its name from Brian de Turberville, who was lord of the manor during the reign of Edward III.
[edit] History
The first known reference to the village can be found in the 'Geld', an assessment made for land tax purposes in 1083. The village was then known as "Pidele" and was held by a priest named Godric. The village was later mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086 as having "land for three ploughs, a mill, thirty eight acres of meadow, twelve acres of woodland, eleven furlongs of pasture in length and 12 in width." The sum of this was valued at £4, and Godric was in charge of "about a dozen people who worked the land".
By the 13th century, the village was known as "Priestpidele" (probably through its association with Godric), and by the 14th century was owned by several parties, including the Prior of Christchurch, the Frampton family and the Turberville family. In 1683 William Frampton united the manors of Throop, Briantspuddle and Affpuddle into a single estate.
In 1914 financial hardship forced the Frampton family to sell part of their estate, including the village of Briantspuddle, to Mr. Ernest Debenham, whose family owned the British department store Debenhams . At this time Briantspuddle consisted of a mere 12 cottages (which still exist within the village today). However, Ernest Debenham was responsible for great expansion within the village under the concept of creating a self-sufficient agricultural enterprise, and by 1929 forty new cottages had been erected on the estate, with the main purpose of housing the estate workers. The consistency of the design of these new houses with traditional Dorset building styles has created a rare example of a "model village", particularly in the Bladen Valley area. Sir Ernest regarded the estate as an attempt to prove that Great Britain could feed itself, and its activities included forestry, bee-keeping, a chicken farm, pedigree stock raising and a veterinary service. Following his death in 1952 the estate was broken up and sold.
Today Briantspuddle conveys an impression of idyllic Dorset sleepiness, and although popular with visitors, remains relatively unspoilt, having no car parks, souvenir shops or crowds of unruly tourists. Village community life is active and vibrant despite leaning towards the older generation, and efforts are being made to provide services for youth and young people.
[edit] References
- Brocklebank, Joan, 1968. Affpuddle in the County of Dorset. Bournemouth: Horace Commin.
