Winterborne St Martin

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Winterborne St Martin (Martinstown)
Winterborne St Martin (Martinstown) shown within Dorset
Population	<754
OS grid reference	SY650890
District	West Dorset
Shire county	Dorset
Region	South West
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Dorchester
Postcode district	DT2
Dialling code	01305
Police	Dorset
Fire	Dorset
Ambulance	South Western
European Parliament	South West England
UK Parliament	West Dorset
List of places: UK • England • Dorset

Coordinates: 50°41′N 2°31′W / 50.69, -2.51

Winterborne St Martin, commonly known as Martinstown, is a village in south west Dorset, England, situated four miles south west of Dorchester, beside Maiden Castle. The village has a population of 754 (2001).

Saint Martin's Church dating from the 12th Century with a Norman font is in the centre of the village. Other amenities include a village shop and post office, public house ( The Brewers Arms ), village hall and a farm shop ( Stevens Farm Shop ). Bronze Age barrows including the famous Clandon Barrow surround the village and Maiden Castle hillfort is nearby.

A winterbourne (stream) runs through the length of the village.

The village is in the UK Weather Records for the Highest 24-hour total rainfall, which was recorded in Martinstown on July 18th 1955 at 279 mm (11 inches) in a 15 hour period.

[edit] History

In 1268 Henry II granted a charter to Winterborne St Martin ( Martinstown ), which allowed the village to hold an annual fair within five days of St. Martins Day. The fair, which in times past was a leading horse market and amusement fair, had been revived but the old-time custom of roasting a ram was replaced once during an event in the 1960s with a 'badger roast'. The 80 lb badger was caught in a snare and many villagers thought they were eating goose. Fairs are no longer held in Martinstown on an annual basis. The Village in recent time has held successful Open Garden Events and Craft Fayres. The village still has a very active Village Hall, hosting many local activities.

After a hundred years silence, bells in the church rang out in 1947. Five new bells were hung as a village memorial to those who died in the war. An earlier peal had been sold to defray debts.

The village fights to retain its rural charm. In 1980, the villagers were 'up in arms' because the vicarage was built in brick. Despite initial opposition, housing estates have now been built too.

The MWMC Cycle group was formed here in 1996.

In 2007 Martinstown won the Best Kept Village in Dorset Award, in the Large Village Category.