Volume 1

The history and antiquities of the county of Dorset / Compiled from the best and most ancient historians, inquisitions post mortem, and other valuable records and mss. in the public offices, and libraries, and in private hands. With a copy of Domesday book and the Inquisitio Gheldi for the county: interspersed with some remarkable particulars of natural history; and adorned with a correct map of the county, and views of antiquities, seats of the nobility and gentry, &c. By John Hutchins, M.A.

  • John Hutchins
Date:
1774
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The history and antiquities of the county of Dorset / Compiled from the best and most ancient historians, inquisitions post mortem, and other valuable records and mss. in the public offices, and libraries, and in private hands. With a copy of Domesday book and the Inquisitio Gheldi for the county: interspersed with some remarkable particulars of natural history; and adorned with a correct map of the county, and views of antiquities, seats of the nobility and gentry, &c. By John Hutchins, M.A. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    192/804 (page 16)
    dered the monaftery of Cerne, retired to the port of Fromutba, and failed thence to Brownfea. Brompton and Simeon of Durham obferve, that the Danes fre¬ quently retired to the ifle of Wight, and returned thence into Dorfetfhire. It feems to have been their conflant pra&ice, when they intended to invade the weftern counties, to rendezvous at the ifle of Wight ; thence they came to Frome Mouth, and polled themfelves here, from whence they penetrated into the country, and, if overpowered, retired hither, and thence to their lhips; fo that this unhappy town was a continual feat of war. By Domefday book we find, that, in Edward the Confelfor’s time, there were 143 houfes in the king’s part, whereof feventy-three were afterwards de- ftroyed. In the part of St. Wandrcgefil forty-five were Handing and feventeen wafte. In the part of the barons, twenty Handing, fixty deflroyed. It was rated for ten hides, and had two mint maHers. Camden and Cokere fay it afterwards re-flourifiled. But it was not long before a new fcene of calamities opened f. For in 1138, on the breaking out of the wars between king Stephen and Maud the cmprefs, Robert de Lincoln feized on the town and cafile for her. The earl of Gloucefier embarked here to fo- licit fuccours from the earl of Anjou, 1142. In his abfence, king Stephen burnt the town, and took the cafile, commanded by William, eldefi fonof the earl of Gloucefier, who foon after, the fame year, landed with only 3 or 400 men, in 52 lhips, at this port, (as Gervafe of Canterbury fiyles it), not knowing the king had retaken it. He foon, however, made him- felf mafter of the town and harbour, befieged the cafile, commanded by Herbert de Luci, and took it, after an obftinate defence of three weeks, and made Robert de Lincoln governour of it. He alfo reduced Portland Cafile, and Lullworde (now Lullworth) Cafile. In 1146, king Stephen prevailing, prince Henry being obliged to quit the kingdom, took fhip here for Anjou. In 1205, king John landed here, and hired lhips at Portfmouth, intending an expedi¬ tion into France. In 1213, Peter of Pomfret, an enthufiafiical hermit, who had prophefied that the king fhould be depofed by Afcenfion-Day following, after that day was paflfed, was dragged about the ftreets here, hanged, and quartered, with his fon. King John was here again in 1216, and three years after placed a garrifon here. Leland gives this account of the town and places adjacent : “ From Eafi Lilleworth to Holme, a cell “ to Monteacute priory, in Somerfetlhire, and a lit- “ tie lower to Holme Bridge, about two miles” [fome copies have four] “ moft by low and blake morifli “ ground, overgrown with heath and mofs. Thence “ to Ware, by much like ground, faving that about ‘c Wareham felf the ground is fruitfuller. The length “ of Wareham, as it is now, is from N. to S. There “ ls at the S. end a faire bridge of fix arches, upon “ Fraum or Frome river. Wareham is now within “ the waulles, fallen down, and made into gardens “ for garlike. I have the defcription of Wareham in “ another itinerary of mine,” [which is now not to be found.] “ About two forow length out of Wareham, “ by N. is a great bridge of fix arches, over Trent River, alias Piddildour £.” In Mr. Coker’s time. there were in Wareham “ faire houfes, inhabited as “ much by gentlemen allmoft as tradefmen h.” In the late civil wars1, its ufual unhappy fate made it again a feat of war ; and it was very early fortified, and made a garrifon for the parliament. Aug. 19, 1642, iol. and Sept. 2, 501. more, was advanced by the treafurer of the county for that purpofe : but not long after it came into the king’s hands. Nov. 25, 1643, circiter, capt. Lay brought up 200 men from Poole in veflels, a mile below the town. They were oppofed at a breaft-work; but the enemy landing, the king’s men retired into the town, where they rallied in a body, and on coming up of the enemy, fled by a gate behind them. Two hundred were made prifoners; many arms, much ammunition, cat¬ tle and provifion for the next day’s market, much cloth and hay were taken, and carried to Poole. Captain Sydenham, in the mean time, fummoned Winbourne, to prevent any aflifiance thence. Fe¬ bruary 27, circiter k, after the action at Holme bridge, it was again in the hands of the parliament; but April 13, 1644, intelligence came, that colonel Afliburnham, lieutenant-colonel Froud, and lord In- chiquin’s brother, lieutenant-colonel Obryan, and major Pigot, the Thurfday before, attacked it, and took it by break of day, with the lofs of two men, and five wounded. They found twenty-five rebels dead in the fireets; fourteen more were drowned. They took fix captains, and 150 foldiers; the reft efcaped to Poole. They took alfo thirteen pieces of ordnance, 200 mufkets, &c. Obryan was made go¬ vernour. June 15, prince Maurice, before he raifed the fiege of Lyme, augmented the garrifon with 500 men L June 18, or 21, circiter, the earl, of Eflex fent a party to fuminon it, but in vain m. July n, lieutenant-colonel Obryan fent a party of 240 men from hence to Dorchefter n. The inhabitants fent to the garrifons of Abbotlbury and Weymouth for relief. Colonel and major Sydenham came, and pur- fued them, killed twelve, took fixty horfe, and 160 prifoners, and hanged feven of the Irifli. This was done by way of reprifal, the king’s party having, in March before, hanged fourteen clothiers at Wood- houfe in Wilts. Aug. 8, or 10, circiter, Sir An¬ thony Alhley Cooper, colonel Sydenham, &c. with 1200 horfe and foot, drawn out of the garrifons of Lyme, Weymouth, and Poole, befieged and afiaulted it, and gained the out-works ; on which it was fur- rendered upon articles °. Moft of the garrifon were Lent into Ireland : lord Inchiquin having ordered his brother Obryan to come over to his aflifiance, he having then fided with the parliament, which was the occafion of fo eafy a furrender. Nov. 9, by gover¬ nor Rob. Butler’s accounts, 105I. 11 s. iod. were paid to the Blue Coats ; 1011. ns. 10d. to the Grey Coats. •- ' A. D. 1645 % a party of 120 men from Oxford marched hither, went to the governor’s houfe, who, with his fon, defended it three hours, till it was fired;, and, a magazine being near, they were obliged to yield on quarter. They carried the governor and two committee men into Corfe cafile : the parliament forces before it, quitting fome of their guards. March 4 a vote pafled to flight it, a garrifon here being no longer of any fervice, as Corfe cafile was taken, to which it was a check. The governors ac- * ^ 5^' . f Saxon Annals. W. Malinfb. Gervaf. Dorobern. Leland. Collect, v. i. 103. 2 Itin. v. iii. 68, 69. h P. 47. Vicars, Parliament. Chron. Part iii. 81, 82. Whitlock’s Memoirs, 74. k Rufhworth, p. iii. v. ii. 684. Whitlock, 84. Mercurius ... .. Oarendon. ra Rufhworth, p, iii. v. ii. 684. Vicars, 258. Whitlock, p. 94. 0 Whitlock, p. 94. Rufhworth, p. 111. v. 11. 697. Vicars, Pari. 4, 5, 6. p Whitlock, p.198. Micra-Chronicon. Spragge Angl, rediviva, p. iii, 183. 9 Whitlock.