Monday 13 June 2011

Stumbled across fasinating 15th century tower at the weekend

Compton Abbas: the old church

Out walking at the weekend over Melbury Hill and stumbled across this beautiful 15th Century tower of the ruined Church of St Mary in East Compton.
Only the late 15th century west tower and the west wall of the former nave remain.

A stone cross stands in the churchard some 10 paces south east of the tower.


Compton Abbas provides a good example of the population shift in this case caused by the construction of the Blandford and Shaftsbury Turnpike circa 1820 which reorientated communities on a North-South
axis. The new Church of St Mary's (1866) was built near to the new road while the old church fell into decay.

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