Kelly’s Directory
1848,
1880 & 1898
Transcribed by Kim Parker
MOSTERTON, a village and chapelry of Perrott, 3-1/2 miles from Beaminster north, and 3-1/2 miles from Crewkerne south, in the Beaminster Union, Hundred of Beaminster Forum and Red Hone, diocese of Salisbury. The living is a curacy, united with South Perrott, value £170 and 6 acres of glebe land. The church is a new edifice, in a modern style, with square tower; it is capable of holding 359 persons; the churchyard contains the tomb of the Hood family, which was formerly in the old church; Sir Alexander Hood was born here. In 1841, the population was 391, the acreage, 959. John Hussey, Esq., of Lyme Regis, is lord of the manor.
TRADERS
BOW John, shopkeeper
CROFTS Edward, farmer
DAWBNEY Charles, farmer
DAWBNEY John, farmer
DAWBNEY William, farmer
GIBBS Job, registrar of births & deaths
HISCOCK James, baker
HUSSEY George, farmer, West farm
LOVELESS John, carpenter & builder
MITCHAM John, shopkeeper
MURLY William, shopkeeper
NORMAN George, shopkeeper
PEARCE John, butcher
PORTER Michael, stationer
READ Isaac, farmer
STUDELY Thomas, dairyman
SUMMERHAYS John, mason
WARD John, Crown & Anchor inn
WARRY Eliel, blacksmith
WARRIN Thomas, tailor
WILLMOTT Floyer, farmer
WILLMOTT George, tailor
WOODCOCK John, flax spinner
Letters are received through the Crewkerne Office
MOSTERTON is a village and parish in the Beaminster hundred and union, county court district of Crewkerne, rural deanery of Bridport fourth portion, archdeaconry of Dorset and diocese of Salisbury, 3 miles north from Beaminster, and 3 south from Crewkerne railway station, situate on the Somersetshire border. The church of St. Mary is a modern building, consisting of chancel and nave, with square tower: it is capable of holding 359 persons: the old churchyard contains the tomb of the Hood family, which was formerly in the old church; Sir Alexander Hood was born here. The register dates from the year 1653. The living is consolidated with South Perrott, joint yearly value £395, with 7 acres of glebe land here, in the gift of the representatives of the late G. Coombes esq. and held by the Rev. John Stroud M.A. of Merton College, Oxford, who resides at South Perrott. Some flax-spinning is carried on. Through Horn hill, on the highway between this village and Beaminster, there is a tunnel, 125 yards long, for which the public are principally indebted to the zealous exertions of the late Giles Russell esq. of Beaminster: it was commenced in August, 1851, and finished in June, 1852, under the superintendence of M. Lane esq. civil engineer. The principal landowners are Thomas Hussey esq. who is lord of the manor, Viscount Portman and Lady Oglander. The soil is heavy clay; subsoil, clay. The chief crops are wheat, barley, oats, peas, hay and turnips. The area is 958 acres; rateable value, £1,452; the population in 1871 was 321.
Parish Clerk, John Gibbs.
POST OFFICE.- Job Gibbs, receiver. Letters from Crewkerne arrive at 11.15 a.m.; dispatched at 2.35 p.m.; no delivery or dispatch on Sundays. The nearest money order offices are at Crewkerne & Beaminster.
National School, Miss R. Sealy, mistress
BLACKMAN John, plumber
BOW A. (Mrs.), dress maker
BUCKLAND John, baker
CLEAL Benjamin, shoe maker
DUNELL Thomas, farmer, Chapel Court farm
FAY Isaac, farmer
FELLOWS Charles Robert, Crown & Anchor
GIBBS Job, registrar of births & deaths for the Mosterton district
HARDING William, dairyman
HAWKER Solomon, thatcher
HOOKE John, farmer, Manor farm
LAWRENCE Samuel, farmer
MITCHAM James, New inn & carpenter
Mosterton Mill Co. (William H. W. TOBY), flax & tow spinners
NORMAN Lucy R. (Mrs.), shopkeeper
ROWSELL Charles, farmer
STRODE Mrs., farmer, Bluntsmoor farm
STUDLEY Samuel & Walter, farmers
TOLLY Edward, farmer, Broad Oak farm
TUCKER Thomas, farmer, West farm
WARRY Eliel, shopkeeper
WEBB William, carpenter
WILLMOTT Sarah (Mrs.), dress maker
MOSTERTON is a village and parish on the Somersetshire border, the river Axe, and the road from Beaminster to Crewkerne, 2-1/2 miles south from Crewkerne railway station on the London and South Western railway, and 3-1/2 north from Beaminster, in the Western division of the county, Beaminster hundred, union and petty sessional division, county court district of Crewkerne, rural deanery of Bridport (Beaminster portion), archdeaconry of Dorset and diocese of Salisbury. The church of St. Mary is a modern building of stone, consisting of chancel, nave, north porch and a western tower containing one bell; the church will seat 359 persons; in the churchyard stands the tomb of the Hood family, formerly in the church. The register dates from 1653. The living is a chapelry, annexed to the rectory of South Perrott, net yearly value, £331, with 83 acres of glebe and residence in the gift of the trustees of the Rev. C. W. Penny M.A. and C. Nancolas esq. and held since 1873 by the Rev. John Stroud M.A. of Merton College, Oxford, who resides at South Perrott. Here is a chapel for Plymouth Brethren, built in 1894 to hold 100. The principal landowners are Thomas Hussey esq. of Bredy, Shipton, who is lord of the manor, Viscount Portman and Joseph Hull esq. of Stinsford, Dorchester. The soil is heavy clay; subsoil, clay. The chief crops are wheat, barley, oats, peas, hay and turnips. The area is 949 acres; rateable value, £1,528; the population in 1891 was 263.
Parish Clerk, Miss Sarah Willmott.
Post Office. – Miss Sarah Willmott, sub-postmistress. Letters from Crewkerne, arrive at 8.40 a.m.; dispatched at 5.5 p.m.; no delivery or dispatch on Sundays. The nearest money order office is at South Perrott & nearest telegraph office at Crewkerne railway station, 3 miles distant.
National School (mixed), built in 1876 & enlarged in 1894 for 90 children; average attendance, 42; Miss Grace James, mistress.
COMMERCIAL
BOW Annie (Mrs.), nurse
BOWDITCH George, New inn
CHAFFEY Samuel, miller (water) & farmer
COX Fred, farmer, Sandiford
COX Henry, farmer
HALLETT John, boot maker
HAWKER Solomon, thatcher
JEFFERY George, farmer, New House farm
LAWRENCE Samuel, farmer, Manor farm
MITCHEM James, shopkeeper, carpenter & wheelwright
PODGER John, farmer, Bakers Mill farm
Reading Room (John HALLETT, sec.)
ROUSELL Charles, blacksmith
RUSSELL Edmund George, Crown & Anchor P.H.
SAINT William, farmer, Chapel Court farm
SCRIVEN Robert, farmer
SHUTTLER Richard, farmer, Bluntsmoor farm
STUDLEY Robert Payne, farmer, Broad Oak farm
STUDLEY Walter, farmer
TOLLY Robert, farmer, West farm
WAKELY William, boot maker
WHITE Tom, shoe maker
WILLMOTT William, shopkeeper