Beaminster
The market town of Beaminster is situated in the county of Dorset. Amid picturesque hills this small thriving town stands at the head of the valley of the River Brit. With its quaint streets and Georgian and Tudor buildings, literary author Thomas Hardy was to transform it into the fictional town of 'Emminster' in his tragic tale Tess of the D'Urbervilles.
In 1284 a charter was granted for a Thursday all day market and a three day annual fair in September. By the end of the medieval period the agricultural settlement of Beaminster was steadily growing into a town. Affluence came through the manufacture of wool cloth, hemp and flax. Later, other materials such as sailcloth, sackcloth, thread, rope and twine were also developed. The population declined after 1841. With industries failing and no access to the railway, vast numbers of people moved away from the area, however, since WWII growth has increased and the population today is around 3,000.
Occupied by the Royalist army in 1644 the strongly Parliamentary town of Beaminster was devastated by fire, an act of arson by the Royalists. The fine 17th century houses on the fringe of the town escaped another fire in1684 where much of the centre of the town was burned down. A third fire in 1781 was to affect Church Street, Hogshill Street and Shadrack Street thus the central area of Beaminster today is of mainly 18th and 19th century appearance.
Beaminster Museum is situated in a converted Congregational church which still retains the original19th century organ. Built in 1149 and expanded in 1825 this Grade II listed chapel is of architectural importance to the town due to its survival of the three great fires. The Beaminster Museum Trust, a registered charity, took over the building in 1990. There is much on display that illustrates the life and times of the Beaminster people, from the medieval era to the present day. An illuminated map shows the major historic buildings of the town while a facsimile of the Domesday Book confirms the age of the settlement. The museum also tells of the rise and fall of some of the area's most important families, as well as highlighting local archaeology and agriculture, schools and social events.
Situated on the outskirts of Beaminster is the splendid Mapperton House with its amazing layered terraced gardens. Built in the warm grey-yellow stone of which much is seen in west Dorset, this grand Elizabethan house has been restyled a number of times over the centuries. The house and grounds have featured in several motion pictures including Tom Jones, Emma, and Restoration. Voted by Country Life magazine 2006 as the nation's finest manor house it is still a popular attraction for locals and visitors today. Mapperton House is now owned by the Earl and Countess of Sandwich.
The market town of Beaminster makes a charming place to shop, browse and sample local fare. With over 200 listed buildings the whole of this historic town centre has now been made into a conservation area.
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