Notes
BRADFORD ABBAS HISTORY SOCIETY
Bradford Abbas historically was a very practical and pleasant place to live as is the case to the present day.
The original settlement started as a Hilltop settlement about 3500 years ago on the high land to the North of the present village. This settlement was still in occupation when the Romans arrived here. Excavations and field walking surveys have been carried out on two Romano/British settlements. The first at the Cross road at Coombe and the second site to the rear of Manor Farm bordering the golf course. Both of these sites have been partially professionally excavated that confirmed the buildings were Roman and occupied by their surfs or workers. When the Romans left in the 5th C occupation continued for a couple of hundred years or so. This was until the hilltop settlers decided to resettle in more sheltered spots in the area one of these was the Broad Ford that would have been an important crossing point of the river. This gave us part of the name of our village ‘Bradford‘.
The first lowland settlement would have centered on the higher land near the ford and of course the Church would have been on the highest plot. These properties would have been timber framed buildings with wattle and daub panels. Over the course of time these buildings would have gone into disrepair and deteriorated which coincided with the new building techniques of the time. About 1000 years ago the chancel of the church was built in stone most proverbially replacing a previous timber framed structure on the same site. When new or replacement properties were constructed from about 1400 onwards these would have been built of stone. The village also relocated itself slightly up hill from the church up to the Cross and further up North Street in filling plots or burgess as it progressed over the many years. A few of these earliest buildings can still be seen in the village today.
Bradford would have been an important village prior to the reformation as we were strongly connected to the Abbot of Sherborne which obviously gave us the second part of our name Abbas. This is confirmed by the presence of the massive Tithe barn at Wyke which was in fact the Abbots Bank or counting house. The barn was the store of the Tithes from their tenants of 10% of the tenants own produce. Therefore the Chancellor or accountant for the Abbot would have lived for part of the year at Wyke Manor. Our manorial courts were held there. The village stayed under the control of the Abbot of Sherborne until the ‘Dissolution of the Monasteries’ in 1539.
The history of the village from that date to the present time is just as fascinating. If you would like to know more why not join your local History Society which meets on the last Tuesday afternoon of the month or the last Thursday evening of the mouth, both are held in the village hall. For meeting dates or an introduction contact our Chairman Mr. Tony White
Bradford Abbas historically was a very practical and pleasant place to live as is the case to the present day.
The original settlement started as a Hilltop settlement about 3500 years ago on the high land to the North of the present village. This settlement was still in occupation when the Romans arrived here. Excavations and field walking surveys have been carried out on two Romano/British settlements. The first at the Cross road at Coombe and the second site to the rear of Manor Farm bordering the golf course. Both of these sites have been partially professionally excavated that confirmed the buildings were Roman and occupied by their surfs or workers. When the Romans left in the 5th C occupation continued for a couple of hundred years or so. This was until the hilltop settlers decided to resettle in more sheltered spots in the area one of these was the Broad Ford that would have been an important crossing point of the river. This gave us part of the name of our village ‘Bradford‘.
The first lowland settlement would have centered on the higher land near the ford and of course the Church would have been on the highest plot. These properties would have been timber framed buildings with wattle and daub panels. Over the course of time these buildings would have gone into disrepair and deteriorated which coincided with the new building techniques of the time. About 1000 years ago the chancel of the church was built in stone most proverbially replacing a previous timber framed structure on the same site. When new or replacement properties were constructed from about 1400 onwards these would have been built of stone. The village also relocated itself slightly up hill from the church up to the Cross and further up North Street in filling plots or burgess as it progressed over the many years. A few of these earliest buildings can still be seen in the village today.
Bradford would have been an important village prior to the reformation as we were strongly connected to the Abbot of Sherborne which obviously gave us the second part of our name Abbas. This is confirmed by the presence of the massive Tithe barn at Wyke which was in fact the Abbots Bank or counting house. The barn was the store of the Tithes from their tenants of 10% of the tenants own produce. Therefore the Chancellor or accountant for the Abbot would have lived for part of the year at Wyke Manor. Our manorial courts were held there. The village stayed under the control of the Abbot of Sherborne until the ‘Dissolution of the Monasteries’ in 1539.
The history of the village from that date to the present time is just as fascinating. If you would like to know more why not join your local History Society which meets on the last Tuesday afternoon of the month or the last Thursday evening of the mouth, both are held in the village hall. For meeting dates or an introduction contact our Chairman Mr. Tony White
Telephone
01935 424441