Dorset OPC

Sturminster Newton

Dorset OPC

St Mary's Church
St Mary's Church

Sturminster Newton stands on the River Stour between Blandford and Sherborne. Often called Sturminster Newton Castle in older documents 'castle' refers to the ruins on a 14th century castle on high ground to the south of the present bridge. The famous cattle market closed down in 1997 has recently been redeveloped and a market, though no longer for livestock still takes place every Monday.

The town has strong literary links; the poet William Barnes was born in nearby Bagber and educated in Sturminster Newton. Thomas Hardy lived in a house which is situated by the recreation ground, he spent two years in the town during which time he wrote 'The Return of the Native'.

The church of St Mary's was rebuilt in 1486 by one of the last abbots of Glastonbury, the carved wagon roof dates from this time although much of the remainder of the church dates from later rebuilding. It was almost entirely rebuilt in 1827 by and at the expense of the Rev. Thomas Henry Lane Fox M.A. The East stained glass window was erected in 1885 to the memory of William Loftus Lowndes, the West window erected the following year in memory of Mrs Lowndes was designed and executed by Miss Lowndes.

Newton is a tithing of the town divided from it by the river Stour. Bagber is a small tithing 2 miles to the west of the town, you will also often find records for people living on Sturminster Common and at Fiddleford within the Sturminster Newton records.

Sturminster Mill
Sturminster Newton Mill


The new OPC for Sturminster Newton is Felicity Harrison

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The Dorset OPC is indebted to Jacqui Bowen formerly the OPC for Sturminster Newton for much of the material on these pages
Census 1801 Census
1841 Census parts 1
, 2, 3, 4 & Workhouse

1851 Census part 1.. more to follow

1911 Census District 1, District 2, District 3
Caryl Parsons
Julie Browning & Jennifer Dando
Jacqui Bowen
Felicity Harrison
Parish Registers Baptisms
1732-1736 [ref. against BTs]

Marriages
1783-1805, 1806-1810

Michael Wills



Jacqui Bowen
Bishops Transcripts Baptisms
1737-1750
, 1751-1770, 1771-1790, 1791-1810, 1810-1836

Marriages
1731-1805
1806-1809
, 1811-1836

Burials
1731-1750
1751-1770
, 1771-1790, 1791-1810, 1811-1836

Jacqui Bowen



Emma Squires
Jacqui Bowen


Jennifer Dando

Jacqui Bowen
Photographs Photos of Sturminster
Page 1Page 2

Garry Fudge
Memorial Inscriptions Old burial ground Memorial Inscriptions
Civic Cemetery
Brian Webber & Dorinda Miles
Other Information Absent Voters List 1918
Town Criers 1790-2018
Felicity Harrison
Richard Smith
Military Men of Sturminster Newton and district who served during the Great War Garry Fudge
Maps  

Records held at the Dorset History Centre
[Ref PE-SN]
Registers
Christenings 1681-1937. Marriages 1681-2012. Burials 1681-1958.
Registration District
(for the purpose of civil registration births, marriages, deaths & civil partnerships)
1 Jul 1837-31 Mar 1974: Sturminster
1 Apr 1974-17 Oct 2005: North Dorset

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