Alton Pancras

Alton Pancras is a small village in the West Dorset district of Dorset, England. It is sited at an altitude of 125 metres in the valley of the River Piddle, which has its source just north of the village. The surrounding chalk hills rise to between 230 and 260 metres. The late broadcaster and agriculturist Ralph Wightman, who was born and lived in the nearby village of Piddletrenthide, described these surrounding hills as "very much in the centre of Dorset"^[2]

The village is situated on the B3143 road, which connects it to the county town of Dorchester 9 miles (14 km) to the south. Other local travel links include Maiden Newton railway station 7 miles (11 km) to the south-west, and Bournemouth International Airport 26 miles (42 km) to the east. The village has a population of 145 according to the 2001 Census.

The village church is dedicated to Saint Pancras, which provides part of the village name. The parish was formerly a liberty, containing only the parish itself.

History

The village was first likely settled by Saxons during the expansion of the Kingdom of Wessex. The name of the village was then Awultune, meaning in West Saxon 'village at the source of the river' (the River Piddle). After conversion to Christianity, the village name incorporated the little known St Pancras and certainly by the time of the Battle of Agincourt was known as Aulton Pancras.

The current church was restored in the 19th century after an earlier Norman church was near collapse. All that remains of the old church is the 15th century spire and a Norman arch. The church organ used to be a fairground organ. The floor tiles were created by Poole Pottery.

References

External links

• Census data
• Village history
• Church history