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I am extremely indebted to Andrew Williams for his hard work in preparing this splendid piece on the architecture of Maiden Newton. I hope to illustrate it with links and pictures soon.
MAIDEN NEWTON
The Village and its Location
The parish of Maiden Newton lies within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty comprising of the South Wessex Downs Environmentally Sensitive Area and the South Wessex Downs Natural Area, all within the chalk landscape to the north of Dorchester. It adjoins the parishes of Frome Vauchurch, Sydling St Nicholas, Frampton, Cattistock, Chilfrome, Wynford Eagle, Toller Fratrum and Compton Valence.
Whilst the parishes of Frome Vauchurch (comprising the settlements of Higher Frome Vauchurch and Lower Frome Vauchurch) and Maiden Newton are seen as two distinct parishes they have, over the years, evolved to form a single settlement. Lower Frome Vauchurch is down-stream of its namesake and is the old/original parochial centre.
The village of Maiden Newton, dominated by the surrounding valley slopes and uplands, is located on the valley floor and lower valley slopes at the confluence of the Hooke and Frome rivers, it is separated from both Upper and Lower Frome Vauchurch by the riverside meadows of the river Frome. Historically the ancient track ways from several upland ridge ways and the river valley routes helped Maiden Newton become the largest manorial settlement in the Frome valley, which for many years held the local market.
The A356 from Dorchester to Crewkerne passes through Maiden Newton and the main Weymouth to Bristol railway line skirts the north-eastern side of the village. Both the road and the railway, together with the now redundant branch line to Bridport that swings westward from the railway station which lies to the north of the village, follow the valley floor.
The interface between the village and the surrounding meadows has, over the years, become somewhat restricted owing to the presence of both the main and defunct railway lines and the boundary walls and fences to development that has taken place over the last sixty years or so. This is particularly noticeable at the north-western edge of the village in the vicinity of the church, where the recent Manor Farm housing development has obliterated the original attractive interface of the village with the meadows. The constraining effect that the railway lines and water meadows have had on the development of the village have resulted in an overall sprawling and haphazard pattern of building, This has resulted in a generally poor relationship between the eastern and southern edges of Maiden Newton and the surrounding countryside.
To the west a � Site of Special Scientific Interest� designation has been placed on the meadows to reflect their importance to the form and local setting of the village. In addition it reinforces the buffer between Maiden Newton and Frome Vauchurch.
The Historical Development of the Village
An earlier Maiden Newton possibly occupied the area now known as the Quarr, adjacent to which are St Mary�s church and the housing development on the site of Manor Farm, but there is no documentary evidence to support this conjecture. Constraints on layout and development of the village came originally from the flood plain of the rivers Hooke and Frome and from the need for farmland. Hence Maiden Newton grew along roads and tracks that ran along the bottom of the valley, and at the intersections of these. This was to result in a sinuous plan form of village with Market Square at the junction of what is now Dorchester Road and Church Road.
The arrival of the railway in the 1850s encouraged outward growth from these roads but influenced traditional settlement boundaries in that it constrained development to the north and west of the village.
During World War II, the sloping farmland between the east of the village�s then residential limits and the main railway line to Weymouth was commandeered for military use. From the 1960�s to the present day this land was to become the setting of a new and alien pattern of village residential development growth, constrained to the south by the 1926 council housing development (an extension to which was commenced in 1953) and to the north by the cemetery and the railway station. The commencement of residential building here was echoed by developments of bungalows along the Dorchester and Cattistock Roads and along Frome Lane. These bungalow and housing developments oppose rural tradition and generally appear to be in conflict with the more traditional types of building in the village and in ignorance with the nearby conservation area.
Within the last twenty years there has been a substantial growth of building within the conservation area by infill. This has been achieved with varying degrees of success, depending on individual developments respecting growth pattern and traditional values.
Thus the old and traditionally rural settlement of Maiden Newton is still clearly visible even though the development within gardens and small parcels of agricultural land (particularly prevalent on the eastern side of the village) is undermining the character and quality of the historic core contained within the conservation area. The setting of the conservation area is affected by predominately post-war housing development lying outside it and the local plan indicates further committed or allocated housing or industrial sites.
The Built Environment
Maiden Newton is an active village with a diverse and interesting range of architectural styles. The areas of the village portraying the greatest traditional character are more or less centrally in the vicinity of the War Memorial and the Market Cross and the approaches to them from either side and from along Dorchester Road. Further out from this area development tends to be perceived as being less attractive in style and appearance in that it lends itself to the weaker architectural quality so typical of development from the mid 1960�s to the present day. However, the traditional architectural character when present is diverse in style and has an articulated building line along the street interface. There are a few examples where new building has respected and augmented this underlying character.
Although integrated as a whole community Maiden Newton has areas with different characteristics, reflecting the period in which development took place. Within each of these small areas, the buildings generally harmonise both with each other and, with some exceptions, as a whole. This mixture of development is part of the character of the village as a whole. There have been two Council-built developments in Maiden Newton. They adjoin each other along the south-eastern approach road from Dorchester. The individual houses are now either in private ownership or administered by the Magna Housing Association. Webbers Piece, a development of sheltered flats and bungalows for the elderly between Cattistock Road and Norden Lane is also managed by the Magna Housing Association.
Domestic growth of the village since the end of the Second World War has been limited to development of land formerly requisitioned by the wartime government to provide accommodation for the armed forces at the top end of Bull Lane, coupled with the building of houses and bungalows on the site of the former Cattle Market, the Corn Stores (formerly land belonging to Maiden Newton Farm), a field opposite the former council houses in Dorchester road and the piecemeal development of smaller vacant plots. The site of the former Milk processing plant in Station Road now supports a small industrial estate which has reached its capacity, indicating a need for further such accommodation within the village.
It is unfortunate that the village lies in an area of the country which experiences difficulty in receiving radio, television transmissions and mobile telephone signals. This has contributed directly to the large number of telegraph poles, overhead cables, television aerials and satellite receiving dishes that tend to dominate the roof and street scene. This visual pollution is further not helped by the style of individual street lamp standards and lamps, especially the location of some of the latter of the fa�ade of buildings facing the roads.
Building Materials
Whilst there are a broad range of architectural styles and building materials employed throughout the parish, there is also a level of consistency reflected in the lines of chimneys, the extent and quality of slate and tile roofs and in the size of properties reflecting status. For example, simple cottages � often part of a terrace � are recognisable from any period whether they are under a thatch, slate or clay tile roof, although there are few entrance porches to be seen.
Some of the older and a few of the very new dwellings are roofed in thatch. Changes in roof materials occur abruptly not only between adjoining properties but between original structures and later extensions. Generally roof structures sit well down on the building with shallow eaves and verges direct to the supporting masonry. Overall a variety of heights, materials and detailing is supported with chimneys to most roof-scapes.
A few of the older surviving cottages built with thick walls of chalk blocks survive although most of these have been faced with render at some time in the past to prevent erosion by the elements. Indeed the rendered facades of many of the older houses would seem to indicate a one time overall shortage of good structural building materials. Seldom is old brick visible as walling, although a notable and good exception to this is the Mill. Brick however is mainly used as dressings at the corners of buildings, around structural openings and occasionally banded with flint and stone. The older buildings in the vicinity of St Mary�s Church are mainly of banded stone and flint whilst elsewhere local flint mixed with stone, often with a wash finishing has been used widely. There are a few examples where the use of modest amounts of finer materials, e.g., Ham stone, signified a building�s prestige.
In keeping with tradition windows are more often than not timber casement or sliding sash, the latter dating from the late 19th/early 20th century. The exception being uPVC, the limitations of which as a material are reflected in surprising and visually unhappy fenestration patterns and proportions. There are few dormer or �conservation� roof lights.
The design and materials of buildings constructed in the 20th Century are considerably varied. Common finishes for walls are brick, artificial stone, and colour washed render, and for roofs slate, and clay and concrete tiles. There has been a modest use of stone, and of flint and brickwork in an attempt to complement some of the more traditional buildings in the village. Housing styles range therefore from the �Dorset cottage� to the �classical town house� and overall the effort expended in interpreting local distinctiveness varies for each development. The older boundary walls within the village are characteristically distinctive being built as they are in flint and rendered in full or pointed in cement. Good examples of this can be seen in the vicinity of St Mary�s church and at the lower end of Bull Lane at its junction with Dorchester Road. A few examples of the traditional iron railings (or more modern replacements) exist whilst the parlous condition of a few remain, to the detriment of the general street scene, ignored.
The treatment of boundaries is critical and noted successful examples have kept original walls of local stone and flint, emulated them or planted hedges of traditional vegetation.
Past commercial activity and community expression are evident in the retention of historic features such as the base of the market cross, shop windows and the old school clock.
Schedule of Listed Buildings in the Parish of Maiden Newton
MAIDEN NEWTON
Cattistock Road (South side)
The Dairy House, (formerly listed as manor Farm Dairy).
II
Farmhouse, now private. Early C18, or earlier. Knapped flint and banded Lias stone walls. Roughcast gable wall. Quoins visible at right hand end. Thatch roof with gable-end and half-hip at right hand end. Brick stack on ridge at right hand, additional rendered stack at right hand end wall. 2 storeys, 4 windows, 2-light C20 wooden casements with glazing-bars, wooden cills, stone arch voussoirs. Front door at centre, plank-and-muntin with one square light, C20.
MAIDEN NEWTON
Church Road
War Memorial
II
War Memorial. 1920 by E.S.Prior. First War memorial with Second War Fallen added. Portland stone. Three-sided plinth. 6-sided obelisk with at junction with plinth carved wreath and VICTORY; cross and SACRIFICE; anchor and HOPE. Two bands on the obelisk; top band with incised dates, 1914, 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919. Lower band with: �NOT UNTO US LORD BE THE PRAISE 1920�.
MAIDEN NEWTON
Church Road (East side)
Cart shed 30 metres east-north-east of Church of St Mary.
II
Detached Cart Shed. C18. Chalk-block and flint walls, banded, chalk-block lined internally. Thatch roof, half-hipped. 4 bays, 3 haunched wooden posts carried on stone bases, chamfered tie-beams and cambered collars, butted purlins, tusk-tenoned. Assembly marks. Pole rafters. Loft doors in each gable.
MAIDEN NEWTON
Church Road (East side)
Manor Farmhouse.
II
Detached farmhouse. Mid C19. Rubble stone walls with lias stone dressings and stone plat band over the ground floor windows. Slate roof, of low pitch, hipped. Brick stacks left and right of centre. Two storeys and attics. 3 windows, sashes with glazing bars, (16 pane), dressed stone voussoirs, stone cills. Front door at centre with dressed stone jambs and arch voussoirs, flush-panelled door with 6 glazed lights over. Windows on north wall have C20 brick dressings.
MAIDEN NEWTON
Church Road (East side)
Maiden Newton School
II
Former VC School. 1841 enlarged in 1865 and 1870. Rubble-stone walls, with stone plinth and quoins. Slate roof with stone gable-copings. One storey. Left hand projects as gabled wing with tall 3-light stone mullioned window, transomed. Separate label. Main range to right. Two narrow windows and a 3-light stone mullioned window. Central porch under stone gable-coping. Four centred moulded archway with label. Elaborate cast iron bracket on front of porch supports circular two-faced clock. Installed to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria.
MAIDEN NEWTON
Church Road (West side)
Church of St Mary
I
Parish Church. C12 tower, lower parts, and north and west walling in nave. Chancel and West tower arch rebuilt, c. 1400. South transept and South aisle added in C15. Porch added c. 1500. Church restored in C19. North Vestry of 1886, and Organ chamber off North Vestry. Local rubble and flint walls, with ashlar and dressings of Ham Hill stone. Roofs are covered with lead, tiles and stone slates. Full description and plan see: RCHM Dorset I, p.150 (2).
MAIDEN NEWTON
Church Road (West side)
Good Monument 1 metre east of south transept of Church of St Mary
II
Table-Tomb. C17. Plain sides and moulded top-block. Inscription: �Here lieth the Body of Robarte Good of Notton within this Parish, who deceased the _______ Day of March, Anno 1628��� (inscription continues).
MAIDEN NEWTON
Church Road (West side)
Jacob Monument 10 metres south of South transept of Church of St Mary
II
Table-Tomb. Early C18. Stone, with 2 recess-panels each side and a hipped top-block. Pilasters with carved flowers growing from vases. Inscription: �Here lieth the body of Mary, wife of John Jacob, who departed this life January ye 2nd, 1750, Aged 62�.
MAIDEN NEWTON
Church Road (West side)
Warham Monument 2 metres east of chancel of Church of St Mary
II
Table-Tomb. C17. Stone. Plain sides and chamfered top block. �Here lieth the Body of Thomas Warham�..�.
MAIDEN NEWTON
Church Road (West side)
Monument 6 metres south of chancel of Church of St Mary
II
Table-Tomb. Mid C1*. Stone. One fielded-panel each side, and with fielded-panel pilasters. Flat top-block with moulded cornice. Later inscription on top-block.
MAIDEN NEWTON
Church Road (West side)
Maiden Newton House
II
Rectory, now private house. Dated 1842 stone tablet over doorway: AS (Scott) MDCCCXLII on a stone shield with cusped framing. Greensand rubble and banded stone walls. Ham stone window-frames, and plinth moulding. Clay-tile roofs, stone gable-copings with moulded kneelers. Ham stone stacks, on south range, coupled on east and west elevations with crenellated cornices, and in the angle of the 2 ranges. On the north range, 3 C20 stacks, 2 on ridge, one on east gable end. L-plan house. North-east range, 2 storeys, 3 windows, having stone-mullions, straight-chamfered with pointed arches under a square head separate labels, returned. Cast-iron casements with lozenge-pattern of glazing bars. Doorway, left of centre, with moulded jambs and a 4-centred head. Panelled C19 door with scroll-hinges. South range: 2 storeys, gabled at North end, and with a porch at south end. 4 bays total. Windows are all 2-light cast-iron casements with rectilinear pattern of glazing-bars lozenged at the intersections. Buttresses to the centre bays with 2 set-offs each, (Staircase well). Porch south of staircase, with pointed-arch entrance, label with head-stops of man and woman. Pointed-arch doorway, has a wooden door, recessed-panelled throughout. Stone tablet with carved image of St Christopher over porch entrance. Canted bays, on south end wall, square projecting bay north-west corner.
Interior: original fittings survive intact, and form an interesting example of the period, rib-panel doors, window-shutters, segmental rere-arches to windows, fireplaces. Staircase with octagonal newel and alternating plain (wood) and twist (cast-iron) balusters.
(RCHM. Dorset I, p.152 (4). )
MAIDEN NEWTON
Church Road (West side)
Stables 20 metres south of Maiden Newton House
II
Stable-Block. Mid C19. Flint walls and brick dressings. Clay tile roofs and stone gable-copings. Two returned gables at each end. 11/2 storeys. 5 bays. 2-light stone-mullion windows with lozenge-leaded lights. Big 4-centred arch at centre, giving access to stable doors at left and right hand. Small brick-headed arch at right hand end, giving access to tack room. Two loft doorways to front, plank with strap-hinges, and gabled over.
(RCHM. Dorset I, p.153 (5), where catalogued as �Barn.)
MAIDEN NEWTON
Dorchester Road
Bridge over Mill-Stream
II
Road-Bridge. Late C18. Stone piers with brickwork above, and chamfered stone parapet coping. 4 arches. Double-track. Upstream side has 3 stone cutwaters and original brickwork. Downstream side has projecting keystones, and no cutwaters.
MAIDEN NEWTON
Dorchester Road (North side)
Maiden Newton Mill and Mill-House
II
Mill and Mill-House attached. c.1800. Rubble stone and brick walls in Flemish bond. Slate roof with stone gable-copings. Brick stack at right hand ridge and at right hand gable. 3 storeys. 6 windows total, 4 for the mill and 2 for the house. Straight-joint between Mill and house with ashlar quoins to Mill. Majority of windows are 3-light with flat stone mullions and architraves, iron casements with glazing-bars. Mill has 2-leaf hatch at left hand upper, with plank-and-muntin door. Top hatch into roof, with slated sides and a pitched roof, wooden platform supported on 2 diagonal struts, 3-light iron casement. Ground floor doorway into mill has straight-chamfered jambs and a very depressed arch head. 2-leaf plank-and-muntin door. Mill-House entrance, straight-chamfered jambs and square head, flush-panel door with 2 top lights. Brick porch with stone gable-coping and ball-finial at apex, square headed entrance with wooden lintel. C19. Rear of mill, rubble-stone and ashlar banded tower, to full height of building. Machinery: only iron mill-wheel in situ at west end, breast-shot wheel by Winter and Hussey (Dorchester), mid C19.
MAIDEN NEWTON
Dorchester Road (North side)
Village Cross
II*
Remains of Market Cross. C15. Stone (Lias). Square base and lower part of roughly square stem, standing about 5ft high. The shaft has beaded angles and on the west face are the weathered remains of figures standing on a corbelled projection.
(RCHM. Dorset I, p.152 (3). ) (Scheduled Ancient Monument. Dorset No. 138.)
MAIDEN NEWTON
Dorchester Road (North side)
No. 46 (Kingsley House)
II
Attached house on street. Probable, C17 core with much C19 refashioning. Flint walls rendered. Slate roof with gable ends. Brick stack at right hand gable. Rendered stack at left hand front eaves. 2 storeys. 5 windows in total, majority are 3-light stone mullions (ovolo) with cross-transoms and moulded stone frames. Canted 3-light bay immediately left of porch. Metal casements. Two sash-windows, later C19, upper left. Porch with 2 forward columns and unorthodox capitals and bases. Flat wooden canopy. Door, flush-panelled with 4 upper lights.
(RCHM. Dorset I, p.153 (10). )
MAIDEN NEWTON
Dorchester Road (South side)
No. 51
II
Detached House. Mid C19. Flint walls with occasional stone banding. Large long, and short quoins. Slate roof, with stone gable-copings. Renewed brick stacks at each gable. 2 storeys. 3 windows, straight-chamfered stone mullions with separate stone labels, 3-light to ground floor, 2-light over, cast-iron casements with glazing-bars. Front porch at centre, ashlar with stone gable-coping and pitched slate roof, depressed-arch head and multi-glazed door, C20.
MAIDEN NEWTON
Dorchester Road (South side)
No. 59 (Belvedere House)
II
Attached House. Early C19. Stone walls, rendered and painted. Slate roof with gable-ends. Brick stacks, behind left hand gable, and at right hand gable. 2 storeys. 3 windows, sashes with thin glazing-bars (12 pane, ground; 9 pane above). Front door at centre, 6-panelled with raised panels. Fanlight with a lozenge-in-rectangle pattern of glazing-bars.
MAIDEN NEWTON
Maiden Newton Station
II
Railway station with main and subsidiary buildings and with attached footbridge. 1857 by R. P. Brereton for the Great Western Railway. Flint with Hamstone dressings and an artificial slate roof, smaller shelter has Welsh slate, the footbridge is reinforced concrete. Single storey single depth buildings.
Main building: The yard front has two windows to the left of the projecting porch (the projecting timber canopy has been removed), with two more and one paired one to the right, all cross framed casements. Stone quoins, window dressings and eaves band. Low pitched roof recently re-slated. Four cement rendered chimneys. One gable end has two windows, the other a paired one. The platform elevation has a central four panel door with rectangular light over. This is flanked by windows and then on the right by an arched recess and on the left by a large glazed opening with 3 x 8 panes, with a plain door beyond. This was previously another waiting recess but has now been incorporated into the closed accommodation. Flat slated canopy on timber brackets. Interior not inspected, but it has been converted for office use.
Down platform shelter of chalet type apparently little altered. Welsh slate roof. Central recessed seating area flanked by blocked windows. Flat canopy on timber brackets. Low pitch Welsh slate roof with single chimney.
Footbridge is a standard concrete prefabricated one probably 1950�s by Western Region of BR, now fairly badly spalled and not of special interest.
History: The Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth Railway was first promoted in 1845 with Brunel as engineer. It opened from Chippenham to Westbury in 1848, became part of the Great Western Railway in 1851 and finally opened through to Weymouth in 1857 including the stretch through Maiden Newton. The station was extended in size in 1859 from the original design (which may date from 1848) to incorporate a bay platform with overall timber roof for the Bridport branch which had also opened in 1857, this was joined to the original building by a new parcels office. This branch was closed in 1975 and the bay with its roof and the extended canopy on the main up platform were removed. The main building was further extended for a refreshment room in 1860-1 at the south end of the building. This section and the parcels office still survive.
References: Adrian Vaughan, A Pictorial Record of Great Western Architecture, OPC, 1977, p.62.
Reasons for listing: This is a good surviving example of the stations for the Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth Railway. Its character is that of a Brunel design, but it was designed probably by his assistant R.P.Bereton. The other surviving station of this type, at Yeovil Pen Mill has been altered to a much greater degree.
MAIDEN NEWTON
Dorchester Road (South side)
Crockways
II
Farmhouse, extended, converted to 2 cottages and reconverted C20 to one. C16 former open hall at north end, extended south in C17, and further extended in roughly C17 style using salvaged material in C20. No straight joint between C20 work and earlier work. Banded flint and stone walls throughout, including C20 work. Thatch roof with stone gable-coping at east end, ridge lower at west end. Two stone stacks on ridge, 2 storeys (east) and 1 � storeys (west). 6 windows in total C20 west end: 2- and 3-light stone mullions with hollow chamfers and fixed lead lights, all re-used material. At former open hall (west) 2-light renewed wooden casements with lead lights and wooden cills. Two storey porch at east end, gabled, entirely C20. Doorway with re-used depressed-arch head.
Interior: West end, mid jointed-cruck truss originally with collars, originally two-bay open hall. Ceiled. Open fireplace with straight-chamfered stone jambs, stopped, wooden lintel with similar chamfer. Bread oven in left hand side. Plank-and-muntin partition, filled with brick nogging, C20. Ceiling-beams re-used from Coombe Cottage, Beaminster, C16, re-used in 1969. Most unusual beams: slightly hollow chamfer with 7 chip-carved square paterae per side of the beam, stops carved by present owner.
(RCHM. Dorset I, p.153 (13). )
MAIDEN NEWTON (NOTTON)
Bridge over river Frome, leading to Notton Farm
II
Road-Bridge. Early C19. Single-track, 10 metres long. Brick with flat coping-stones. 3 segmental arches, with brick cutwaters to the upstream side, and plain flat piers to the downstream side.
MAIDEN NEWTON (CRUXTON)
West Cruxton Farmhouse
II*
Manor Farmhouse. Late C16, with C19 extension at south end. Flint and dressed stone walls, with stone base. Clay-tile roofs with stone gable-copings and moulded kneelers. C20 brick stacks at both gable ends. 2 storeys and attics. 5 windows, all with hollow-chamfered stone mullions in square frames, depressed-arch heads, fixed lead-lights with opening metal casements at centre. Ground floor openings: 2-, 2-, porch, 3-, buttress, 3-light, small buttress. Gabled porch at centre, to full height, entrance has a depressed arch in a square head, with returned label over. Plank-and-muntin door, studded, with a weatherboard at foot of door. Rear elevation has a staircase tower, with 3-light and 4-light stone mullions. Extension of house at south end, C19. Rubble-stone with brick dressings, brick stack at gable end. 3-light cast-iron casement with glazing-bars, segmental head.
Interior: Some doorways with original oak frames and 4-centred heads. Some C17 panelling (RCHM)
(RCHM Dorset I, p.153 (11). )
MAIDEN NEWTON (CRUXTON)
Nos. 1 and 2 Cruxton Cottages
(formerly listed as pair of cottages 90 yds N of W Cruxton Farm)
II
Pair of Cottages. Early C19. Flint and stone walls, banded. Brick dressings with segmental brick ground floor window heads. Thatch roof with gable ends. Brick stacks at each gable. 2 storeys. 3 windows, top left is a 2-light cast-iron casement with small glazing-bars. Rest mainly 2-light C20 wooden casements. Doors, left and right of centre, both C20, flush-panelled with one large glass light. C20 porches. The C20 extensions at each end are not of special interest.