Wareham J G Harrod & Co's Postal & Commercial Directory of Dorset & Wiltshire 1865

WAREHAM is a parliamentary borough, union, and market town, and railway station on the Dorchester railway, in the hundred of Winfrith, distant 125 miles from London, 17 S.E. from Dorchester, 4 N.W. of Corfe Castle, 8 S.W. from Poole, and 6 S. from Bere Regis. The town is situated in a peninsula formed by the rivers Piddle and Frome, near their confluence with Poole Harbour, and consists of four streets, intersecting each other at right angles, its area being nearly enclosed by high artificial ramparts of earth, and covering about 100 acres. These ramparts are supposed to be of British origin, and have evidently been, at a more recent period, surmounted with walls.

Wareham was a Roman settlement, as was STOBOROUGH. The space between the walls and the present inhabited part is converted into gardens and let by the lord of the manor at low rents. The bridge crossing the Frome from South-street was rebuilt about the year 1777; it connects the northern part of the county with the Isle of Purbeck. The government of the town is vested in a mayor, recorder, and six capital burgesses; but it is not under the Municipal Corporations Act. The courts held here are the annual sessions before the mayor, recorder, &c. Petty sessions are held every Saturday at the Town Hall for the borough; The County Petty Sessions are held every alternate Tuesday. An annual court leet for the appointment of borough constables, bread weighers, carniters, ale tasters, surveyors of chimneys and mantels; the appointment of hayward and scavenger also takes place at the leet. There is a court of record before the mayor on the first Monday in every month. The population in 1861 was 3,076, and the area in acres 5,963. The quay lies on the south side of the town.

This town has long been noted for its extensive trade in potter’s clay, of which many thousand tons are yearly conveyed to Staffordshire. The tides are felt as high as Holme-bridge, three miles above the town. The market-day was formerly held on a Saturday, but it has now for some time been held on a Tuesday. It is for corn sold by sample; the market on Saturday is, however, still continued. There are two fairs, on the 17^th April and 11^th September, both for cattle, &c., and are generally well attended. There are five cattle markets commencing about 14^th February, and continuing every fortnight. The living is a rectory in the patronage of John Hales Calcraft, Esq., of Rempstone; the Rev. Samuel Richard Capel is the incumbent. It consists of the rectory of Holy Trinity, with that of St. Martin, and the perpetual curacy of St. Mary annexed. This town contains three parishes – Holy Trinity parish, containing Stoborough Liberty, Middlebere, Ridge and Redcliff; Lady St. Mary within and without; St. Martin’s within and without. The churches of Holy Trinity and St. Martin are both standing, but are not used for public worship: There are some traces of two other churches having existed in former time, called St. Michael and St. Peter, but the parishes have been consolidated with the others, and the only evidence of their existence is the name in the King’s Books, which subjects the rector to a small charge for first fruits, tenths, and land-tax. The church of St. Mary is one of the most ancient and largest in the county; a chapel in the south aisle is said to be the burial place of the Anglo-Saxon kings, and in it reposed for three years the remains of Edward the Martyr, who was murdered at Corfe Castle by Eldrida; his bones were then removed, with much pomp and ceremony, by St. Dunstan and a numerous train of monks, to Shaftesbury. The nave of the church of St. Mary was rebuilt in 1841-42; it is capable of seating 1,000 persons, including the Sunday scholars; the chancel contains a beautiful window of the date of Henry VII., and the tower is a handsome Gothic structure. Near the west entrance is an antique font of the eleventh century; it is of lead, hexagonal in form, mounted on a solid base of Purbeck marble, and on the sides are carved figures representing the Twelve Apostles in high relief. In digging for the new foundation of the nave of the above church, a fine sarcophagus of Purbeck marble was discovered, supposed to be the receptacle for the body of Edward the Martyr; a slight groove surrounding the cist would imply that a metallic lid covered the remains on their being deposited, and which was doubtless removed by Dunstan and conveyed to Shaftesbury. Many singular inscriptions on old stones, built in with the former structure, were also discovered. In the south buttress of the chancel is a small beautifully groined chapel. The priory near this church is still standing, and is the residence of Thomas Phippard, Esq.

There are three chapels, viz., Independent, Unitarian, and Wesleyan, and an endowed Free-school, annual income £20, given by George Pitt, Esq., of Strathfieldsay, in 1693, an ancestor of the Rivers’ family; and £20 for many years given by the late John Calcraft, Esq., and continued till 1842 by John Hales Calcraft, Esq. There is an almshouse for six men and five women, endowed by John Stretch, Esq., and rebuilt in 1741; each of the eleven almspeople receive £3 5s. a quarter, besides a new gown or cloak, beef, coals, &c., at Christmas. There are also many charitable bequests annually distributed to the poor. There is a reading room in North Street and a Mutual Improvement Society has also been established, where daily and provincial papers, periodicals, and standard works, are open to the members till ten o’clock. The latter has a library of about 500 volumes. Near the market-place stood a house called Homo-cum-Cane, belonging to the tithing of Bindon; the spot on which it stood is now part of the site of the Red Lion inn, and the tenant of that inn is always constable of the Liberty of Bindon, and as such is obliged to attend Wool-court yearly with a one-eyed dog. The origin of this singular custom is not known. The workhouse for the Wareham and Purbeck union stands close to the town. The parliamentary borough of Wareham includes Wareham, Corfe Castle, Arne, Bere Regis, and parts of East Stoke and Morden.

SWINEHAM is 1 miles E., Worgret 1 mile W Giggers Isle and Broxes Isle lie at the south of the river.

POSTAL REGULATIONS – Post Office, South Street, Miss E. L. Jones postmistress.

ARRIVALS

From London                                                                                                   2.40 a.m.

From Purbeck, Swanage, Corfe Castle, &c.                                                      8.45 a.m.

From Dorchester and Weymouth                                                                    9.30 a.m.

Second arrival from London                                                                            3.20 p.m.

Swanage and Purbeck                                                                                        9.5   p.m.

Dorchester and West of England                                                                        11    p.m.

DISPATCHES

To the Isle of Purbeck, Corfe Castle, Swanage, &c.                                         5 a.m.

To London                                                                                                       9.20a.m.

To Dorchester and West of England                                                                  3 p.m.

To Purbeck, &c.                                                                                                4 p.m.

To London and all parts                                                                                    10.30p.m.

There are two deliveries each day; the morning delivery commences at 8 a.m., and the afternoon at 4 p.m.

Money Orders are granted and paid at this office, and a post office savings’ bank is open.

BOROUGH MAGISTRATES

The Recorder, Mayor and ex-Mayor, for the time being.

BANKS

Dorchester Bank (Branch of), South Street. Draw on Williams, Deacon & Co., London. Open from 10 till 8, and Market days 10 till 5. John CUST, Esq., manager.

National Provincial Bank of England (Branch of) North Street, draw on London Joint Stock Bank, Princess Street. Open from 10 till 3, and on Market and Fair days from 10 till 5. Phillip Henry TAPP, Esq. Manager

Savings Bank held at the offices of Messrs FILLITER, North Street. John CUST, Esq. auditor. Herbert WILLIAMS, Esq., treasurer; Clavell FILLITER, Esq., secretary and actuary.

PUBLIC BUILDINGS, &c.

Almshouses, East Street, for 11 persons, - 6 men and 5 women

County Police Station, South Street; Mr Thomas EELES, superintendent, with 2 sergeants and 10 men

Gasworks, North Street, Freeland FILLITER, Esq., secretary; Mr Justinian OXFORD, manager

Inland Revenue Office Red Lion Hotel

Railway Station London and South Western Railway Company, Northport, Mr J. BAILEY, stationmaster

Reading Rooms (under the town hall) North Street, supported by subscription. Phillip Henry TAPP, Esq., secretary; John CUST, Esq., treasurer.

Stamp House, North Street. Mr George Best, distributor

Town Hall East Street

Wareham and Purbeck Union, comprising-seven parishes, viz.

Holy Trinity                  Coombe Keynes                                  Steeple

Lady St Mary               Corfe Castle                                       Studland

Saint Martin                  East Holme                                      Swanage

Affpuddle                     East Lulworth                                   Toner’s Puddle

Arne                             East Stoke                                       Tyneham

Bere Regis                    Kimmeridge                                       West Lulworth

Bloxworth                    Langton Matravers                              Winfrith

Chaldon Herring            Morden                                              Wool

Church Knowle            Moreton                                              Worth Matravers

Freeland FILLITER and Charles Oldfield BARTLETT, Esq., clerks

Medical Officers – Edward MERCER and Charles WILLCOX, Esq., for Wareham District; William WILLIAMS, Esq., for Morden District; ? LYS, Esq., for Bere Regis District; ? GRANGER, Esq., for Winfrith District; Henry Digby C. DE LAMOTTE, Esq., for Swanage District; Andrew DYER, Esq., for Corfe Castle

Relieving Officers

Mr. William MARSHMAN, for Wareham; John HALLETT for Bere Regis; J. WEBBER, for Corfe Castle; Chaplain, Rev. Samuel Richard CAPEL, M.A.; master Mr. William P. BROWN; matron, MRS. BROWN; schoolmistress, Miss Jane HOOPER.

Public Officers

Clerk to the Magistrates for the Borough and for the Division of Wareham – Charles Oldfeld BARTLETT, Esq.

Clerk to the Union Assessment Committee – Freeland FILLITER, Esq.

Clerk to the Highway Board – Charles Oldfeld BARTLETT, Esq.

Clerk to the Trustees of Wareham and Purbeck Turnpikes, and to the Wimborne and Piddletown Turnpike Trusts – Thomas PHIPPARD, Esq., The Priory

Clerks to the Commissioners of Land, Assessed, Property, and Income Taxes – C. and F. FILLITER, Esqs.

Clerks to the Wareham and Purbeck Union – Freeland FILLITER Esq., and Charles Oldfeld BARTLETT, Esq.

Collector of Rates – Mr. J. OXFORD

High Bailiff to the County Court – Mr. Henry BEST, East Street

Manager of Gas Works – Mr J.OXFORD

Parish Clerk – Mr Elias DUGDALE

Registrar of the County Court – Freeland FILLITER, Esq.,

Registrar of Marriages – Clavell FILLITER, Esq.

Registrar of Births and Deaths – William MARSHMAN, North Street

Relieving Officer – William MARSHMAN, North Street

Secretary and Actuary to the Savings Bank – Clavell FILLITER, Esq.

Stamp Distributor – Mr. George BEST, North Street

Superintendent of the Wareham Division of Dorset County Constabulary   

And Inspector of Weights and Measurers and Common Lodging Houses, and Assistant Relieving Officer – Mr Thomas EELES.

Superintendent Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages for the Wareham and Purbeck District – Freeland FILLITER, Esq.  

Surveyor of Roads for the Wareham Highway District – Mr. W. ANDERSON

Town Clerk – Charles Oldfeld BARTLETT, Esq.

Town Crier – John FRAMPTON, East Street

Places of Worship –

St. Mary’s Church – Rev. Samuel Richards Capel, M.A., rector; Rev. A.D. Capel, curate

Independent Chapel – Church Lane; Rev. J.Key, minister

Unitarian Chapel – South Street, Rev. C.C. Nutter

Wesleyan Chapel – North Street; no settled minister

Public Schools-

British School – West Street; Mr Thomas Wise, master

National School – South Street; for boys, girls, and infants; Mr Geo. Roe, master; Miss Bee, infant mistress

Infant School – West Street; Miss Stickland, mistress

Posting Houses –

Bear Inn – William PETTS, South Street

Red Lion Inn – Cornelius Yearsley, West Street

Carriers to:

POOLE – Mrs. BARTLETT, every Monday and Thursday, returning same days

BLANDFORD – Mrs. BARTLETT, from her own house, every Saturday, returning same day

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