MOSTERTON IN HUTCHINS
Extract from the third edition of “The History and Antiquities of the County
of Dorset” by John HUTCHINS,
edited by W. SHIPP & J. W. HODSON, published
by J. B. Nichols & Sons, Westminster, 1860-74
Transcribed and donated to the Dorset OPC Project by Kim Parker
Mosterton
Mosterne
A manor, chapelry, tithing, and large hamlet situated on the borders of Somerset, a mile south-west from South Perrott. In Domesday Book Richard de Redvers holds Mortestorne. Almer held it in King Edward’s time, and it was gelded for six hides. There is arable land to five ploughs. There are two ploughs in demesne, and five bondmen, and eight villains, and five bordars with three ploughs. A mill there pays seven shillings and six pence, and there are 30a. of meadow, wood one mile long and half a mile broad. It was and is worth 12l. After this it came to the Blunts. Sir John son of Sir Stephen Blunt, ancestor to the Blunts of Soddington, co. Worcester, married one of the sisters and coheirs of Richard de Wrotham, and had livery of the lands of her purparty t. Hen. III. 20 Edward III. Thomas Blounte held one-sixth of a knight’s fee in Mortesthorne and John de Mortesthorne one-third. 34 Edw. III. John Blount held at his death two parts of a messuage and garden and one carucate of land of the King in chief, as of his manor of Marshwood, by knight’s service. Margaret his sister and heir æt. 13. 11 Hen. VI. Richard More de Piket and Elizabeth his wife held at their deaths this manor and the capital messuage there called Blunt’s Court, and a close and meadow called Whitcheres in Fairward, also the manor of Kingswode in Hardington, co. Somerset, formerly called St. Clere’s lond.Thomas their son and heir. 20 Hen. VII. Thomas More held this manor of the King in chief as of his manor of Marshwood. Robert his son and heir. Afterwards it came to the Pauletts of Melplash and Bredy by means of the marriage of Lord Thomas Paulett, second son of the Marquis of Winchester, with the daughter of Sir Thomas More. 1 Car. I. it was granted by Thomas Paulett of Bredy, esq. to John Poulett of Hinton St. George, esq.; by whom, being then Lord Poulett, it was sold 4 Car. I. to Robert Henley of Henley, co. Somerset, esq. In 1672 Sir Andrew Henley of the Grange, co. Southampton, died seised of it; and on his death it came to his son, Sir Andrew Henley, bart. Who in 1695 sold the manor to Thomas Cooper of Dorchester, who in 1716 conveyed it to his son, by whom in 1720 it was sold to Joseph Case, vicar of Portesham. About 1765 it was purchased with a small estate annexed by William Hussey of Salisbury, esq. who bequeathed it with other properties in Dorset and Somerset to his great-nephew John Hussey, esq. is the present owner.
The dismemberment was begun by Robert Henley, esq. and continued by Sir Andrew Henley and the Coopers. At present all the landholders are seised in fee, and the following are the principal estates:
Bluntsmoor
which seems to have been part of the demesnes, was purchased by the Tauntons of this place and Hilfield, who held it for several generations. In 1864 it belongs to Arthur Martin, esq. of Evershot.
Bragg’s or West’s Farm
consisting of 140a., after being the property of the family who gave name to it, passed to the Strode’s of Parnham, and from them to Sir William Oglander, bart. and to Sir Henry Oglander, the possessor in 1864.
Chapel Court
a farm situated on the east side of the chapel, belonged to the Halletts of Misterton, co. Somerset, and passed from them to the Hodys of Cheddington, by the last of whom it was given to the Rev. William Trevelyan Cox, vicar of Stockland, and in 1864 is the property of William Trevelyan Cox, esq. of Cheddington Court.
Sandiford’s Farm
was dismembered from the manor by Robert Henley, esq. in the reign of Charles I. and was purchased of the Sandifords about the year 1720 by Mrs. Banger of Burcombe, who left it to her sister’s son, John Russell of Beminster, esq. who gave it to his eldest son, John Banger Russell, of the same place, esq.; who left it by will to Miss Anne Russell, his daughter, afterwards Mrs. Steele, and by settlement and power of appointment by will she gave it to her husband, Capt. Henry Perin Steele, the present possessor, fo rlife, with remainder to Lieut.-Col. Samuel Symes Cox for life, remainder to Lieut.-Col. Cox’s second son, John Russell Cox.
The Chapel
says Hutchins, “is a chapel of ease to South Perrot, yet I find only one instance of an attempt to make it independent. Nicholas and Stephen Mortesthorne presented John de Bridport to this chapel of Mortesthorne 13 cal. May, 1307, but it does not appear he had institution. The return to the commission, 1650, is included in South Perrot. It is served every Sunday. In 1750 there was a faculty procured for burying in the chapel-yard.”
The old chapel stood on the north side of the parish, and was a small old building containing nothing worthy of notice. There is a tradition that the greater part of the dwelling-houses stood formerly contiguous to the chapel, to confirm which it is said that many foundations of houses and large stones have been from time to time dug up in an adjoining close called Chapel Close.
The present structure stands about the middle of the village, and is without the slightest pretensions to architectural proprietary, consisting of nave and chancel only, in the plainest style. On a gallery at the west end is this inscription: “This chapel was rebuilt and enlarged in the year 1833.”