Editing Milton Abbas

{{Short description|Village in Dorset, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox UK place
|official_name = Milton Abbas
|static_image_name = Milton Abbas 2015 (a).JPG
|static_image_caption = Milton Abbas
|coordinates = {{coord|50.8152|-2.2762|display=inline,title}}
|population = 755
|population_ref = ([[2011 United Kingdom census|2011]])
|os_grid_reference = ST806018
|civil_parish = Milton Abbas
|unitary_england = [[Dorset (unitary authority)|Dorset]]
|lieutenancy_england = [[Dorset]]
|region = South West England
|country = England
|post_town = BLANDFORD FORUM
|postcode_area = DT
|postcode_district = DT11
|dial_code = 01258
|constituency_westminster = [[North Dorset (UK Parliament constituency)|North Dorset]]
}}

'''Milton Abbas''' is a village and [[civil parish]] in [[Dorset]], England, lying around {{convert|5|mi|km|0|abbr=off}} southwest of [[Blandford Forum]]. In the [[2011 United Kingdom census|2011 Census]] the civil parish had a population of 755.

This planned community was built after the old Town was demolished in the 1770s, said to be  "the largest such project in England at the time".<ref>[https://miltonabbashistorygroup.com/ Milton Abbas]</ref> 

==History==
In 1780, [[Joseph Damer, 1st Earl of Dorchester|Joseph Damer]], Lord Milton, the first [[Earl of Dorchester]] and owner of [[Milton Abbey]], decided that the adjacent market town, [[Milton, Dorset|Middleton]], was disturbing his vision of rural peace. He commissioned [[architect]] Sir [[William Chambers (architect)|William Chambers]] and [[landscape gardener]] [[Capability Brown]] (both of whom had already worked on the Abbey building and grounds) to design a new village, Milton [[Abbas (name)|Abbas]], in a wooded valley (Luccombe Bottom) to the southeast of the Abbey. Most of the existing villagers were relocated here, and the previous village was demolished and the site landscaped.

The 36 almost identical [[thatched]] cottages were intended to house two families each. They were built from [[Cob (material)|cob]] and previously were painted yellow, with each house fronted by a lawn; originally a [[Aesculus hippocastanum|horse chestnut]] tree was planted between each dwelling.<ref name=Gant>{{cite book|title=Dorset Villages|author=Roland Gant|publisher=Robert Hale Ltd|page=86|year=1980|ISBN=0 7091 8135 3}}</ref> [[Almshouse]]s and a church were also provided for the new village, sited opposite each other. The almshouses were moved from the old town, where they had originally been built in 1674. The church, consecrated in 1786, is in Georgian Gothic style, with late 19th-century additions.<ref name=Gant/>

The word 'Abbas' used here as part of a place name ( another example would be the English village of Compton Abbas). The name usually relates to land previously owned by an abbess (the head of an abbey of nuns).

Some house-names give clues to some of the original inhabitants of the village: [[baker]], [[blacksmith]], [[brewery]], etc. Today the houses are white-washed, and the main street also features a [[public house]] (the ''Hambro Arms''), a Post Office/shop, the Tea Clipper Tea Rooms, a now redundant [[school]] building, and a [[Wesleyan Methodist Church (Great Britain)|Wesleyan]] chapel. In 1953 the original horse chestnut trees were judged unsafe and a danger to the houses and removed.<ref name=Gant/> Above the eastern end of the valley, the village has been extended with more modern housing and other facilities, including a [[doctor's office|doctor's surgery]].

==Geography==
Measured directly, Milton Abbas village is about {{convert|5|mi|km|0|abbr=off|spell=on}} southwest of the market town of [[Blandford Forum]] and {{convert|9+1/2|mi|km|0|abbr=off}} northeast of the county town of [[Dorchester, Dorset|Dorchester]]. Milton Abbas civil parish extends from the village south to Bagber Farm, west to Bramblecombe Lane, north to Delcombe Head, and east to the top of Whatcombe Wood.<ref>Ordnance Survey (2010), 1:25,000 Explorer Map, Sheet 117 (Cerne Abbas & Bere Regis), {{ISBN|978-0-319-24122-6}}</ref>

==Demography==
In the [[2011 United Kingdom census|2011 Census]] Milton Abbas civil parish had 263 dwellings,<ref>{{cite web |title= Area: Milton Abbas (Parish). Dwellings, Household Spaces and Accommodation Type, 2011 (KS401EW) |url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=11126589&c=Milton+Abbas&d=16&e=62&g=6417921&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1423080795047&enc=1&dsFamilyId=2481 |work=Neighbourhood Statistics |publisher=Office for National Statistics |access-date=4 February 2015}}</ref> 232 households and a population of 755.<ref>{{cite web |title=Area: Milton Abbas (Parish). Key figures for 2011 Census: Key Statistics |url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=11126589&c=Milton+Abbas&d=16&e=62&g=6417921&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1386538970376&enc=1 |work=Neighbourhood Statistics |publisher=Office for National Statistics |access-date=8 December 2013}}</ref>

==18th-century street fair==
Every two years there is a simulation of an 18th-century country fair with traditional music and dancing and local crafts people. Residents and stall holders dress in period costume.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info%3Asid/infoweb.newsbank.com&svc_dat=UKNB&req_dat=F40D1930047444E2B32A215A4E7AC431&rft_val_format=info%3Aofi/fmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_dat=document_id%3Anews%252F1932223968D|title='Rip-roaring' street fair brings 18th century to quaint Dorset village|last=Magaglio|first=Cristiano|date=1 August 2023|work=[[Dorset Echo]]}}</ref>

==Notable buildings==
[[File:Milton Abbey Church 2015 (a).JPG|thumb|Abbey Church of St Mary, St Sansom and St Bradwalader]]
Within Milton Abbas civil parish, 75 structures are [[Listed building|listed]] by [[Historic England]] for their historical or architectural interest; four structures are listed as Grade I, six are Grade II* and the rest are Grade II.<ref name=listed>{{cite web |url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/england/dorset/milton+abbas |publisher=britishlistedbuildings.co.uk |title=Listed Buildings in Milton Abbas, Dorset, England }}</ref> The Grade I structures are the [[Milton Abbey School#Abbey church|Abbey Church]] of St Mary, St Sansom and St Bradwalader, the Chapel of St Catherine, Milton Abbey School, and The Abbot's Hall and kitchen at Milton Abbey. The Grade II* structures are the almshouses and reading room, [[Delcombe Manor]], Garden Cottage at Delcombe Manor, the Parish Church of St James (built circa 1786),<ref>[https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1118560 PARISH CHURCH OF ST JAMES]</ref> The Old Rectory, and The Stone Lodge And Gatehouse (including the gatehouse, gatepiers and gates).<ref name=listed/> In addition to the listed structures, {{convert|535|ha|acre}} of parkland around the abbey site are listed as Grade II* on the [[Register of Historic Parks and Gardens]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1000721 |title=Milton Abbey |publisher=Historic England |access-date=27 February 2017}}</ref>

The Abbey Church dates mostly from the 14th century, with a 15th-century north transept and tower extension. It was restored in 1790 by [[James Wyatt]] and in 1865 by [[Sir George Gilbert Scott]]. It is described in its listing text as "a church of major importance".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1304822 |title=Abbey Church of St Mary, St Sansom and St Bradwalader |publisher=Historic England |access-date=27 February 2017}}</ref> The Chapel of St Catherine dates from the late 12th century and originally served the abbey. It has been changed little since its construction; during the 18th century the chancel walls were raised and the nave's west wall rebuilt, in 1901 it was restored, and about 1980 the stone slates on the north side of the roof were replaced with artificial stone.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1304728 |title=Chapel of St Catherine |publisher=Historic England |access-date=28 February 2017}}</ref> Milton Abbey School, built in 1771–1776 as a country house, was designed by [[William Chambers (architect)|Sir William Chambers]] and James Wyatt in the early [[Gothic Revival]] style. It largely replaced the abbey's domestic buildings.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1118566 |title=Milton Abbey School |publisher=Historic England |access-date=28 February 2017}}</ref> The abbot's hall and kitchen at Milton Abbey used to be the abbey's hall (built 1498) and dining room (17th century); they were incorporated into the country house (now Milton Abbey School) by Chambers and restored by [[Sir Gilbert Scott]] in the mid-19th century. A fire in 1956 destroyed internal features in the kitchen.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1152407 |title=Abbot's Hall and Kitchen at Milton Abbey |publisher=Historic England |access-date=1 March 2017}}</ref>

Milton Manor, on the east side of the village, is listed as Grade II.<ref>[https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1152530 Milton Manor]</ref> It was originally built in the mid 19th century as a shooting lodge forming part of the Hambro Estate. It was enlarged in the early 20th century in the [[Arts and Crafts movement|Arts and Crafts]] style.<ref name=BLB>{{cite web|title=Milton Manor Hotel, Milton Abbas|url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-103562-milton-manor-hotel-milton-abbas-dorset|website=British Listed Buildings|access-date=29 June 2014}}</ref>

==Education==
The original abbey and House is now [[Milton Abbey School]], a co-educational [[independent school]], with around 250 pupils.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{commons category|Milton Abbas}}

* {{usurped|1=[https://archive.today/20140530102947/http://www.miltonabbey.org/ Milton Abbey Church and Landscape]}}
* [http://www.miltonabbey.co.uk Milton Abbey School]
* [http://www.abandonedcommunities.co.uk/page17.html The old town of Middleton or Milton, and its destruction by Joseph Damer to create a large park]

{{North Dorset}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Civil parishes in Dorset]]
[[Category:Villages in Dorset]]
[[Category:William Chambers buildings]]