Bothenhampton

8 BOTHENHAMPTON (C.e.)

(O.S. 6 in. XXXVIII, S.W.)

Bothenhampton is a small parish, including part of the parish of Walditch and adjoining Bridport on the S.E.

Ecclesiastical

(1) Old Parish Church of The Holy Trinity, formerly a chapel of Loders and now a mortuary chapel, stands at the E. end of the village. The walls are of local rubble with dressings of the same material and the roofs are covered with stone slates. The Chancel was built perhaps in the 14th century and the South Tower was added in the 15th century. The only remains of the former Nave consist of the N.W. angle, and the chancel is now shut off by a modern wall. The modern church was built in 1889.

Architectural Description—The Chancel (22 ft. by 12 ft.) has a blocked E. window of early 15th-century date; it has a two-centred head with a label and head-stops. The N. wall has been rebuilt and contains a modern window; at the W. end is the lower doorway to the former rood-loft staircase; it has chamfered jambs and four-centred head and is now blocked. In the S. wall is a modern window. The two-centred chancel-arch is of one continuous chamfered order and is perhaps of the 14th century. In the modern W. wall is a reset 15th-century doorway with moulded jambs and two-centred head.

The South Tower (8½ ft. square) is of the 15th century and of two stages with an embattled parapet and gargoyles. The N. tower-arch has chamfered responds and a modern arch. In the S. wall is a partly restored window of two cinque-foiled lights with tracery in a two-centred head. The bell-chamber has, in the E., N. and W. walls a rectangular window.

The Nave (about 28 ft. by 19 ft.) is only represented by a fragment of the N.W. angle.

Fittings—Bell: In modern church—one, by Thomas Purdue, 1689. Book: In modern church—bible, 17th-century. Chest: In modern church—of hutch-type with enriched top-rail and three front panels with rosettes etc., early 17th-century. Communion Rails: with turned balusters, 18th-century. Font: circular bowl with splayed underside, possibly 13th-century. Plate: includes an Elizabethan cup and cover-paten, the latter with the date 1575, a paten of 1728 and a flagon of 1789. Reredos: of oak, with Ionic pilasters, pediment and urn, 18th-century.

(2) Parish Church of St. Mary, Walditch, stands in the N.E. corner of the civil parish. It was entirely rebuilt in 1863, but retains from the older building the following:—

Fittings—Font: square tapering bowl with round-headed panels on one face, conventional leaves on two faces and enriched spandrels on top, cylindrical stem and fluted or scalloped base, late 12th-century. Plate: includes a cup and cover-paten of 1570.

Secular

Monuments (3–15)

The following monuments, unless otherwise described, are of the 17th century and of two storeys; the walls are of local rubble and the roofs are covered with thatch or modern materials. Some of the buildings have exposed ceiling-beams and original fireplaces.

(3) Cottage, on the S. side of the road 180 yards S.W. of Bothenhampton old church, was built early in the 18th century.

(4) Cottage, now the Post Office, 200 yards W. of (3).

(5) Cottage, two tenements, 70 yards N.E. of (4), has braces to the roof-truss, carried down the wall.

(6) Cottage, 50 yards W. of (4), has been extended to the E. There is a projecting oven of rubble.

(7) House, now two tenements, 200 yards S.S.E. of the modern church.

(8) Wych Farm, house 1,150 yards S.S.W. of the old church, was built probably early in the 18th century. The doorway has a triangular head with the initials and date I. and A.T. 1705. The doorway at the back has a similar head and there are some original windows with labels. Inside the building is a batten and plank partition.

(9) Cottage, on the S.E. side of the road at Walditch and 200 yards N.E. of the church there.

(10) Cottage, two tenements, on the N. side of the road 40 yards N. of (9).

(11) House, on the N.E. side of the road 150 yards N.W. of (10).

(12) Broadstone Farm, house 300 yards N.E. of the church (2), was built probably in the 16th century. The doorway retains its moulded label. The barn, forming part of the S.W. wing, has collar-beam trusses with curved braces and wind-braces.

(13) Manor Cottage, 30 yards N.E. of (12), retains a number of original stone-mullioned windows, some of the lower ones with moulded labels.

(14) Cottage, opposite (13).

(15) Cottage, three tenements 120 yards N.E. of (14), was built probably early in the 18th century.

Earthworks

The following lynchets (16 and 17) no doubt form part of the former field-systems of their respective villages.

(16) Lynchets (Plate 70), to the E., W. and S. of Walditch village, form ten groups as follows:—(a) on an E. slope about 650 yards E.S.E. of the church, a series now about 200 yards long but formerly extending another 200 yards to the S.; the terraces are 10 to 12 yards wide; (b) traces of a series on a W. slope, S.E. of (a); (c) series of four terraces on a N.E. slope, 100 yards W. of (a), about 10 to 15 yards wide; (d) series of terraces immediately N. of (c) and forming a right-angled bend facing the E. and N.; (e) irregular terraces to the S.W. of (d); (f) series facing N.E., about 250 yards long and 300 yards S.W. of (d); (g) series facing N.W., 600 yards N.W. of the church and about 250 yards long; (h) series facing N.E. and at right angles to (g); (i) three terraces facing S.W. and on the opposite side of the re-entrant to (h); (j) three or four terraces facing N. adjoining and nearly at right angles to (i).

(17) Lynchets, forming two series, N.E. of Bothenhampton village, are as follows—(a) irregular series facing S. and S.W. and becoming more regular in the Warren; (b) three terraces turning at right angles to the S. at the E. end of (a) to face W.