STEEPLE IN KELLY'S DIRECTORY
Transcribed and donated to the Dorset OPC Project by Kim Parker
1848, 1880 & 1898
1848
STEEPLE, a parish in the Isle of Purbeck, Hundred of Hasilor, and Union of Wareham and Purbeck, situated about 5 miles south-south-west from Wareham, and 3-1/2 miles west-by-south from Corfe Castle. The living is a rectory annexed to that of Tyneham, in the diocese of Salisbury, and patronage of the Rev. Nathaniel Bond, B.A. The church, which is dedicated to St. Michael, is situated near the centre of the parish, and consists of nave, chancel, and small north aile near the east end of the body, belonging to the Grange, formerly the burial-place of the Laurences; and another small south aile in the chancel, belonging to Blackmanstone Farm. The Grange, the seat of the Rev. Nathaniel Bond, B.A., is a noble and spacious mansion in the Elizabethan style of architecture, lately rebuilt on the site of the old mansion, and most delightfully situated. The hamlet of WEST CREECH, in this parish, 1 mile to the north-west, formerly belonged to the abbey of Bindon, and had the privilege of a market and fair, granted by Henry III. This parish comprises about 3,900 acres, chiefly the property of the Rev. Nathaniel Bond. The population, in 1841, was 272. Creech barrow is a high hill.
BOND Rev. Nathaniel, B.A., The Grange
TRADERS
CURE William, blacksmith, Grange
MILLIDGE Richard, carpenter, Grange
MOWLEM John, farmer, Steeple Leaze
REEKS Joseph, farmer, West Creech
SYMES John & Robert, farmers, Blackmanstone
SANSOM John, farmer, Lutton Farm
Letters are received through the Wareham office.
1880
Steeple is a parish in the Isle of Purbeck, petty sessional division of Wareham, hundred of Hasilor, union of Wareham and Purbeck, county court district of Wareham, diocese of Salisbury, archdeaconry of Dorset, and rural deanery of Dorchester third portion, 3 miles south from Wareham, and 3-1/2 west by-south from Corfe Castle. The church of St. Michael is situated near the centre of the parish, and consists of tower with 3 bells, chancel, nave, and small north aisle near the east end of the body, belonging to Creech Grange, formerly the burial place of the Laurences, and another small south chancel aisle, belonging to the Blackmanstone farm, now used as a vestry. The register is very ancient: the entries of the Bond family can be traced to the reign of Edward VI. The living is a rectory, annexed to that of Tyneham, joint yearly value of £533, in the gift of and held by the Rev. Nathaniel Bond B.A. of Oriel College, Oxford, and prebendary of Hurstborne and Burbage in Salisbury Cathedral. Creech Grange, the seat of the Rev. Nathaniel Bond B.A., J.P. is a noble and spacious mansion, in the Early Tudor style, partly rebuilt on the sit and in the style of the old mansion: the two principal gables are surmounted by lions sejant bezanté, the old crest of Bond, and a similar lion over the frontdoor hold a shield with the arms of Bond: the south front was added during the reign of William III, whose bust is over the south doorway: it is most delightfully situated at the foot of the chalk downs; the grounds are well-wooded, and exceedingly picturesque. There is a chapel of ease (St. John the Evangelist) in the grounds of Creech Grange, erected in 1746, but not used till 1840; it was consecrated by the Bishop of Salisbury in 1859: it was built from the ruins of Holme Priory in the adjoining parish, and contains a very beautiful Norman chancel arch, which was removed entire; all the rest is of modern construction: the chancel has a fine oak reredos and stained window. CREECH BARROW, a lofty conical hill of the tertiary formation, is in the immediate vicinity. This parish is principally the property of the Rev. Nathaniel Bond J.P. who is lord of the manor. The soil on the south side of the hill which divides the parish is strong clay, on the north side is gravely sub-soil, with a light heather upper soil. The chief crops are principally grass, with some corn. The area is 3,362 acres; rateable value, £1,802; the population in 1871 was 318. The parish extends to the sea cliffs, and comprises 7 geological formations.
WEST CREECH hamlet, 1 mile north-west, was anciently parcel of the manor of Knoll Steeple and Creech
Letters through Wareham. The nearest money order & telegraph office is at Wareham
National School, Miss Emma Ricketts, mistress.
BOND Rev. Nathaniel B.A., J.P. Creech grange
NASH Rev. Stawell Webb Mackenzie M.A. (curate), Parsonage
COOPER John, farmer, Broad moor
CURE Thomas, blacksmith, Grange
GRANT R., farmer
HOLLAND John, farm bailiff to Lieut.-Col. Mans-l for Blackmanstone & Steeple Leaze farms
HORLOCK William, farmer, West Creech
SEAMAN Charles, farmer
TUCK Henry, farmer, Lutton
1898
STEEPLE is a parish in the Isle of Purbeck, 3-1/2 miles west-by-south from Corfe Castle station on the Swanage branch of the London and South-Western railway and 5 south from Wareham, in the Eastern division of the county, petty sessional division and county court district of Wareham, hundred of Hasilor, union of Wareham and Purbeck, rural deanery of Dorchester (Purbeck portion), archdeaconry of Dorset and diocese of Salisbury. The church of St. Michael, situated near the centre of the parish, is an edifice of stone, mostly in the Perpendicular style, consisting of chancel, nave, south porch, a small north nave, aisle belonging to Creech Grange, another small south chancel aisle, belonging to the Blackmanstone farm, and a tower containing 3 bells: the south doorway is Norman: there is a memorial window to the Rev. Canon Nathaniel Bond (d 1889) and his wife, and to the late G.H. Bond Esq. M.P. for East Dorset: there are 120 sittings. The register dates from the year 1548: the entries of the Bond family can be traced to the reign of Edward VI. The living is a rectory, annexed to that of Tyneham, joint net yearly value £336, with residence and 25 acres of glebe, 5 of which are in Steeple, in the gift of Nathaniel Bond esq. and held since 1897 by the Rev. Claude Samuel Homan B.A. of Christ’s College, Cambridge, who is also rector of East Holme, and resides at Tyneham. The Rev. William Davy Filliter M.A. of Exeter College, Oxford, has been curate in charge of Steeple, Grange and East Holme since 1893. Creech Grange, the seat of Nathaniel Bond esq. D.L., J.P. is a mansion in the Early Tudor style, partly rebuilt on the old site: the two principal gables are surmounted by lions sejant bezantée, the old crest of Bond, and a similar lion over the front door holds a shield with the arms of Bond: the south front was added during the reign of William III, whose bust is over the south doorway: the mansion is delightfully situated at the foot of the chalk downs, and the pleasure grounds, about 40 acres in extent, are well-wooded, and exceedingly picturesque. St. John the Evangelist’s chapel of ease, which stands in the grounds of Creech Grange, was erected in 1746, but not used till 1840 nor consecrated till 1859; it was built from the ruins of Holme Priory in the adjoining parish of East Holme, and the chancel arch, removed here from the priory, is a fine example of Norman work; the rest of the fabric dates from 1844: the chancel has a fine oak reredos, and there are several stained windows. Creech Barrow, a lofty conical hill of the tertiary formation, is in the immediate vicinity. N. Bond esq. who is lord of the manor, and Lieut.-Col. John Delalynde Mansel J.P. of Smedmore, Kimmeridge, are the chief landowners. The soil on the south side of the hill which divides the parish is strong clay, on the north side it is gravely sub-soil, with a slight heather upper soil. The crops are principally grass, with some corn. The area is 3,364 acres; rateable value, £2,641; the population in 1891 was 314. The parish extends to the sea cliffs, and comprises 7 geological formations.
West Creech is a hamlet, 1 mile north-west.
Post & T. O. 1 Express Delivery Office, Creech. – Mrs. Harriet Smith, sub-postmistress. Letters through Wareham, arrive at 7.5 a.m. & 12.30 p.m. (for delivery in Creech only); week days & sundays, 7 a.m. Box cleared at 9.10 a.m. & 6.50 p.m.; 11 a.m. sundays. Postal orders are issued here, but not paid. The nearest money order office is at Wareham
National School (mixed), built in 1840, for 70 children; average attendance, 70; Miss Emma Ricketts, mistress
STEEPLE
FILLITER Rev. William Davy M.A. (curate), Rectory
BRAISBY George, farmer, Blackmanstone
BURDEN Samuel George, farmer, Steeple farm
CHILCOTT James Arthur, farmer, Lutton farm
CRUMPTER Thomas, shopkeeper, Grange
GORINGE William, dairyman, Lutton
HORLOCK James, farmer, Steeple Lees
LUCAS George, blacksmith, Grange
TAYLOR Walter, head gamekeeper to N. Bond esq
CREECH
BOND Gerald Denis J.P., Creech grange
BOND John Wentworth Garneys D.L., J.P., Creech grange
BOND Nathaniel D.L., J.P., Creech grange
BOND Raymond Alured, Creech grange
COOPER John, farmer, Broadmoor, West Creech
HORLOCK William, farmer, West Creech
MEADE George, farm bailiff to Nathaniel Bond esq.
SMITH Harriet (Mrs.), stationer, Post office
SMITH John, boot maker
STOCKLEY Moses S., farmer