Blackdown, Dorset

Blackdown Blackdown
Holy Trinity Church, Blackdown
Blackdown
Blackdown shown within Dorset
Population	128 [1]
OS grid reference	ST397028
• London	144 miles (232 km)
Civil parish	Blackdown
District	West Dorset
Shire county	Dorset
Region	South West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	BEAMINSTER
Postcode district	DT8
Dialling code	01308
Police	Dorset
Fire	Dorset and Wiltshire
Ambulance	South Western
EU Parliament	South West England
UK Parliament	West Dorset
Website	http://www.blackdown.co.uk/

Blackdown is a small village in the West Dorset district of Dorset, England; situated 7 miles (11 km) west of Beaminster. The local travel links are located 5 miles (8.0 km) from the village to Crewkerne railway station and 25 miles (40 km) to Exeter International Airport. The main road through the village is the B3165, connecting Blackdown and Lyme Regis. The village has a population of 128 according to the 2001 Census. The village is a ward of the Broadwindsor Parish which besides the few houses in Blackdown includes Kittwhistle, Templeman's Ash (part), Laymore (part), Coles Cross, Causeway Lane, Venn, Southcoombe,Stoney Knapp, Schoolhouse Lane, Speckets Lane, Racedown, Cockpit, Horn Ash, Berechapel, Childhay, two houses in Synderford, two houses in Birdsmoregate including the old Rose & Crown Public House now a private residence it is split between many postcodes partly due to the County boundary being realigned in the 1960s. Residents have postcodes with the main town as either Beaminster, Bridport, Crewkerne or Chard. Divisions also arise within telephone exchange areas (01308,01460 or 01297), the BT phone box was removed from the centre of Blackdown in March 2017.

Despite being part of Broadwindsor parish, Blackdown comes under the catchment area of Marshwood Primary School, three miles away, with secondary education being provided at Woodroffe School, ten miles away. Village children are entitled to free transport. The village school, situated next to the Church and now a private house, had been forced to close because of dwindling numbers, although it was reopened in World War Two to accommodate evacuees but later closed shortly after.

The Chapel of Ease dedicated to the Holy Trinity was erected in 1840 on the site of a former chapel building which had become derelict although there are a few graves which are prior to 1840. On the night of 16/17 December 1961 the Chapel was destroyed by a fire due to a wood burning stove which had been lit overnight for a service the next day. The present building was rebuilt and rededicated in 1964, since then full church status has been acquired and the Church community look forward to holding their first marriage service in the Church. One notable resident in the graveyard is John Anthony Brown who was killed by his wife Elizabeth Martha Brown at Birdsmoregate a small village a few miles away in 1856. Despite a plea for clemency Elizabeth was publicly hanged at Dorchester Prison, a sight witnessed by many including a 16 year old Thomas Hardy, who years later asked Lady Hester Pinney who lived at Racedown House to investigate the story. It is believed that Hardy may have based his novel Tess of the d'Urbervilles on his experience.

Blackdown also has a village hall, built on ground owned by the Pinney family of Racedown House. It was opened in 1920 but like the church it was a destroyed by a fire but was rebuilt. Blackdown W.I host their monthly meetings at the Hall, founded by Lady Hester Pinney in 1917 it is one of the earliest W.I's in Dorset.

The village lies at the foot of Blackdown Hill (215 m), one of Dorset's high points from which there are extensive views of the local area.

References