Monument record MDO4286 - Medieval settlement of Thornton, Marnhhull

Fragmentary earthworks to the east of Thornton Farm mark the former village of Thornton. Documentary records suggest that the village was virtually deserted by 1606. A circular stone built into the gable of a nearby barn is reputed locally to be part of the font from the church.

Thornton Church was sometimes styled as a chantry and in 1534 was described as a free-chapel. At the time of the reformation the church was converted into a stable. This was pulled down at the beginning of the 19th century. <1>

Centred ST 80681805 The settlement remains cover about 6 ha either side of the track. The field to the north has been ploughed and the surviving remains are very amorphous. To the south of the track, a series of slight north to south scarps, up to 0.3m high, divide the area into closes, and are bounded on the south by a ditch and scarp, 0.6m high, which in parts forms a low bank. There are no discernible house platforms.

ST 80501802 A circular stone, reputedly part of the font of the church, is built into the inner face of a barn gable; it is partly rendered over.

Moat surveyed at 1:2500 on AO Model. <3>

Name board reads 'THORNTON FARM'. <4>

<1> Shipp, W, and Hodson, J W (eds), 1870, The History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset. 3rd edition. Volume 4, 318-9 (Monograph). SDO17392.

<2> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume III (Central) Part 2, 160 (Monograph). SDO136.

'(66) SETTLEMENT REMAINS of the former village of Thorton lie E. of Thorton Farm, 1½m. E.S.E. of the parish church (805180-809180). Until early in the 16th century Thorton was a separate village and parish, with its own church; thereafter it was joined to Marnhull (Hutchins IV, 318). The settlement had a recorded population of thirteen in 1086 (D.B. Vol. 1, f.8ob); in the 14th century Subsidy Rolls it is included with Todber and the population cannot be estimated. The last rector was instituted in 1506 (Hutchins IV, 319). In 1662 there were five households in Thorton Tithing (Meekings, 52) but some of these may have been outlying farms in the area, which was probably already enclosed.
Of the settlement itself little remains. To the E. of the present farm, along both sides of a track, are very fragmentary rectangular platforms, bounded by scarps 1 ft. to 2 ft. high and cut into by modern drainage ditches; there are traces of larger closes around the platforms.
For the Moat at Thorton Farm see (61)'

<3> Chaplin, C P, Various, Field Investigators Comments CC, F1 CC 31-JAN-78 (Unpublished document). SWX3450.

<4> Stone, J W, Field Investigators Comments JWS, F2 JWS 16-MAR-78 (Unpublished document). SDO11902.

<5> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1994, Medieval Village Research Group Index, PRN 461 (Index). SDO16386.

<6> National Record of the Historic Environment, 206008 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Oct 11 2022 2:24PM